How Has the Pandemic Changed the Process for Fiancé Visas?

Ever since the beginning of the worldwide pandemic in early 2020, life has changed permanently as we know it. There have been some changes to the overall processing and legal practices imposed by the US government in regard to visa requirements that have made an impact on the prioritization of how certain immigrants are admitted.

What is a K-1 Visa?

A K-1 visa is a visa that is issued to a fiancé of a U.S. citizen so that they can enter the country. Once they have come to the states and have successfully been married, they will be eligible to apply for a green card to become a permanent resident.

Prior to the pandemic, the duration of this process took approximately four to six months. With new changes to immigration policies, there has been a comprehensive decline in the number of visas being issued and time to process these visas.

Current Prioritization

The guiding principle by which immigration visas are prioritized today are based on family reunification. A tiered approach is now being used to classify categories of immigrant visas in priority order:

• Tier One: Immediate relative inter-country adoption visas, age-out cases, certain special immigrant visas, and emergency cases
• Tier Two: Immediate relative visas; K-1 fiancé visas; and returning resident visas
• Tier Three: Family preference immigrant visas and SE special immigrant visas
• Tier Four: All other immigrant visas

Current Processing Times

The approximate processing time for your application will be six to eight months and another three to four weeks to receive instructions from the National Visa Center. USCIS has been authorized to prioritize K visas due to their immediate relative distinction.

If you are still thinking about whether you should file your K-1 visa, we hope this information has eased your hesitation. We are continually committed to helping our clients live their dream and be connected to their loved ones.