Each year thousands of people file K1 fiance visa petitions without the assistance of a qualified attorney. Some are successful--many are not. Hiring a qualified immigration attorney is worth every penny.
K1 Visa Processing Times
Posted Tue, 01/20/2009 - 23:07 by Phil
Probably the first question all my clients ask about the K1 visa is "how long does it take." There are several resources online that you can look at which provide some general answers to this question. I've provided some links to those resources within this article. However, the answer to this question is "it depends."
Preparing the Case for Filing
First of all, before the petition can even be filed the client or the petition must provide a substantial amount of information and documents. Our firm typically can file a K1 petition in 10 business days or less once the client provides all the necessary information.
USCIS Processing Times
Once the petition is filed you can use the USCIS Case Status Service to determine the average processing time of a K1 petition. However, the USCIS report does not take into consideration the extra processing time that may be involved if the petition is not complete. If the petition is not complete the USCIS may request additional information and this will extend the processing time.
Avoid Processing Delays & Denials
The majority of delays in K1 cases are the result of poorly or inadequately prepared cases. A properly prepared case will be processed more quickly as it will not experience processing delays related defects in the petition or supporting documentation.Contact us today for your free case evaluation.
Consular Processing
Once the USCIS approves the I-129F it must be transferred to the US Embassy abroad. Sometimes it can take several months between the time the USCIS approves the petition and the time it is received and acted on by the US Embassy. In my experience, it takes at least 1 month with 3 months being on the long end.
Once the consulate receives and acts on the approved petition they will send the fiance a packet of information and request that further forms be completed and other tasks be completed. The applicant's speed and diligence in completing these tasks also affects processing times.
Finally, every embassy has varying waiting times for their visa interview schedules. Lower volume embassies may have waiting periods of only a day or two while others may have backlogs of a month or more. You can look up embassy processing times here.
I generally tell clients that the entire process from start to finish takes about 12 months.
If you have questions about the fiance visa process or would like assistance with your case please contact us for a free consultation.
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