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Fiance or Spouse Visa 101: How to bring your Fiance or Spouse to the USA
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VisaCoach has all the answers for your questions about Comparing Spouse Versus Fiance Visa Processing Speeds and Comparing Spouse versus Fiance Visas.
Category: Fiance vs Spouse
Why is Spouse Visa Slower?
Spouse visas take 8 or more months longer for processing than Fiance Visas: Why?
Todays topic is: Why does it take longer to get a spouse visa than a fiance visa? Currently Fiance Visas take about 7-9 months for processing, spouse visas 14 to 18 months for processing.
Why is there an 8 month penalty?
On the face, it seems counter intuitive. If you are married to someone you would think it would be faster to bring THEM home,someone you had really committed too, versus bringing home someone you basically are only dating.
The answer lies in the nature of the two visas.
Continue reading “Why is Spouse Visa Slower?”
Marriage to Prove Bona Fides
Getting married to “prove” your relationship is genuine (bona fide)
I always hope that a couple reaches out to me for a free consultation before they make their final decisions and take actions that can’t be changed. This is especially important when deciding whether to marry outside the USA then apply for a spouse visa or to marry within the USA after arrival on a fiance visa.
In choosing between pursuing a fiance or spouse visa there is a lot to be considered as far as speed, expense, and overall complexity that can make one path decidedly more attractive than another.
Sometimes the first call I get from a couple is after they have made their decisions and have already limited their available options. They often say: “We got married because this proves how serious a couple we are”
Well, No, Not really.
Well Congratulations! it is a super big and important step that you got married. In your eyes and that of your family, friends, and church your relationship is Rock Solid.
Immigration is not impressed. Continue reading “Marriage to Prove Bona Fides”
Eligibility for Visas
Visa Eligibility Requirements: For Fiancee + Spouse Visas
Eligibility for a K-1 Fiancee Visa
To be successful to obtain a Fiance Visa the following K1 Eligibility Requirements must be met.
Sponsor is US Citizen
U.S. citizens ONLY, can sponsor an Alien Fiancee. Legal permanent residents are NOT eligible.
Free to Marry
You and your fiancé(e) must both be free to marry, at the time you submit your petition. This means that both of you are unmarried, or that any previous marriages have ended through divorce, annulment or death.g
Face to Face Meeting
You must also have met with your fiancé(e) in person, “face to face” within the last two years before filing.
Planning to Marry
You must affirm that you both intend to marry during your fiancee’s stay in the USA
Bona Fide Relationship
You must be able to convince immigration that your relationship is genuine.
Financial Eligibility
To meet the K1 visa financial eligibility requirements, you must be able to prove your annual income is enough to support your entire household at at least 100% of the Federal poverty Guidelines..
Eligibility for a CR-1 Spouse Visa
To be successful to obtain a Spouse Visa the following Spouse Visa Eligibility requirements must be met.
Philippines 9a Visa for USA spouses during Covid
If you have been keen to travel to the Philippines, now you can.
Spouses of Philippine citizens are now allowed in. No longer banned from travel due to Covid 19.
So if you are married to a Philippine citizen and ready to travel, now you can.
This really is great news.
To the great frustration of all, since Covid quarantine started, nobody except Philippine citizens have been allowed to enter the Philippines.
Until recently.
Starting in August 2021, after 15 months of Tight lockdown, the Philippines immigration service finally announced that they would start issuing visitor Visas to American citizens who are married to Philippine nationals.
This includes those who got online marriages and may not have even met in person yet.
For details on how to obtain an online marriage for $100
The visa now available to allow American spouses travel to the Philippines, is called a 9a temporary visitor visa.
To apply for it, reach out to the nearest Philippines consulate, fill in an application form, pay $30, and provide supporting documents and evidence.
Last week, I got calls from two of my clients who had successfully accomplished this. They were on their way to the Philippines.
And of course, immediately on return To the USA,from this honeymoon trip we will apply for their spouse visas.
Previously They had to put their plans to submit CR1 spouse visa applications on hold, because US immigration only approves spouse visa applications when there is proof that the couple has met in person, AFTER the wedding has taken place.
So not only are these couples on the way to their honeymoons, but are finally making progress to complete the necessary steps to have a Life together In the USA !!
For those who don’t know about online marriages, this is what they are and how an American can obtain one..
An officiant based in Utah can conduct a lawful marriage ceremony over a zoom conference.
This is called a “web conference” wedding. It is not a proxy wedding. As a proxy wedding means one of the couple is absent and someone else is standing in as a representative, a “proxy” at the ceremony.
At the “web conference” wedding everyone is present, bride, groom, officiant, and witnesses all via a Zoom video conference.
The result of this wedding is a binding and acceptable marriage certificate. And it does not mention that the ceremony took place online. It reads the same as any marriage certificate proving a lawful marriage has been entered into.
And this proof of marriage is totally acceptable to the Philippines and can be registered in the Philippines at the PSA, the Philippines statistics authority.
But for US immigration purposes, you are not quite there yet. US immigration requires this piece of paper proving a lawful ceremony has taken place, AND on top of that also requires proof that the couple spent time together in person after the ceremony.
Due to Covid this in person requirement has been very hard to satisfy.
Until now!
Here is how you you apply for your Philippines visa
Your marriage needs to be recognized by the Philippines government. If you married in the Philippines this should have followed as a matter of course. Obtain a certificate that confirms your marriage from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA).
If you married outside the Philippines then register your foreign wedding certificate at PSA and wait on them to issue their corresponding certificate.
Do a google search on what Philippines Embassy or Consulate location is responsible for handling cases from the State where you reside and download from the consulate an application form for the 9a Temporary Visitor Visa. Fill it in.
Gather the documents and evidence needed for your application. Usually this includes your Passport, your PSA marriage certificate, proof of income, visa photo, and an invitation letter from your spouse. Unfortunately the application process is still in its early stages, and there is no uniform set of requirements yet. Each consulate appears to have slightly different requirements. So obtain the list of supporting documents that is needed from the consulate you will be working with and follow their individual procedures..
Send in your completed application package and include a self addressed prepaid return envelope.
Be patient.
Feedback so far is that it takes awhile for the consulate to process your application, And I have received multiple reports that the consulate’s seem to change the goal posts during the process asking for more materials than which were instructed to you at the start. Bear with it and eventually your visa will be on its way to you.
Once you receive the visa, Jump on a flight to the Philippines, and enjoy quality time with your spouse and her family in person. If you had married over the internet and this is your time to meet then also enjoy your honeymoon and collect and bring back proofs to apply for a CR1 spouse visa. Ideally you hired me and the VisaCoach staff to prepare your application.
This was Fred Wahl, The VisaCoach, here to personally guide you on this journey.
Spouse + Fiancee Visa Service for Ex-pats
VisaCoach’s assistance for American Ex-pats to apply for Spouse or Fiancee visas while remaining outside the USA during the process
If you are currently outside the USA, living together with your foreign partner and now are ready to relocate back to the USA and bring your partner with you.
I have good news.
You do not need to leave him or her, return alone to the USA, then apply for them to eventually follow. Instead you can apply for the fiance or spouse visa from outside the USA.
You don’t have to separate. You can remain together for the entire process.
I was an ex-pat living in Asia myself for about 20 years. I did this for myself and my wife Joyce.
I can help you too.
Most couples we help are involved in long distance romances. They communicate via webcam and text,
and only get the once in a while, rare opportunity, to spend in-person time together after long trips over
international waters.
But some lucky couples, like you, are not separated by international borders. Instead they live together, outside the USA.
And once they are ready to relocate to the USA, they ask :
“Must the American return to the USA alone to apply for a fiance or spouse visa? Is there a away they can avoid long separations?’
The happy answer is they Can remain together. No long separation is necessary.
Your visa application can be submitted while they remain outside the USA. And once your fiance or spouse visa is issued, you as a couple, hand in hand, can together can board the flight to your future lives in the USA.
I lived as an expat, living outside the USA, primarily in Taiwan and Hong Kong for about 20 years. I am very familiar with that lifestyle and the issue of bringing one’s spouse and family back to the USA. In my case when my oldest child was 6 years old I knew it was time to return as I wanted to enroll him in kindergarten and public school in the USA.
I regularly help expatriate couples prepare their petitions while they are living together outside the USA. We work together using email, Internet (I provide a password access page for you where I post specific instructions and documents for your case), and by priority mail or courier.
This is the procedure VisaCoach follows for Ex-pat cases, that allows the you to remain outside the USA for the whole process.
1. After I get to know you and your partner I set up an account page for you online at VisaCoach.com. There I post a personalized checklist of all documents and evidence needed for successful preparation of your case. I also prepare all the forms needed for the application which require your signature.
2. You follow your checklist and collect the civil documents, evidence, photographs and various proofs of bona fides. You print out the documents that have been prepared for your signature and sign them. You combine all into a single envelope, then send to my offices via international courier such as DHL or Fedex.
3. On receiving your envelope, I carefully comb through it’s contents to prepare your application. If you were living in the USA I would mail the application directly to you. But as you are overseas that is not convenient, as it means two more times passing through international customs, to send the application to you, and then for you to send it back to USA to USCIS’s offices. So what we do instead is scan the completed application package into a pdf and post it at your VisaCoach account page for you to review.
4. If you find anything you wish to change, you let me know, and these changes are made immediately, posted online. Again for you to review. Finally, once you are 100% satisfied, we mail the approved application directly to USCIS on your behalf.
5. Eventually your case will arrive to the US State Department’s National Visa Center (NVC). I will guide you through that stage. This one can be done all online.
6. NVC will forward your case to the consulate assigned for your partner’s interview. In the run up to the interview I will guide you on preparation for the interview. Such as practice questions, final checklists and how and where to arrange the interview.
7. On completion of the interview, I guide you through arranging for your partners green card.
8. That only leaves it for you to settle your affairs outside the USA, book your flights and return to USA to start this next chapter in your lives.
For an ex-pat there are two important issues that need to be planned for the interview.
How can you pass the financial eligibility requirement?
and
How can you demonstrate your “intent” to relocate to USA
Financial Eligibility
An ex-pat you probably are earning your living by working outside the USA. Well, that means that once your partner gets approved for her or his visa, you are going planning to quit your foreign job and find a new one in the USA. This means that as far as supporting your family the foreign income goes away. You will have to show you are financially eligible by some other way.
Usually this means already having enough cash assets in USA financial accounts or equity in a your home located in the USA, or asking for help from a friend or family member living in the USA to be your financial joint-sponsor. If none of these methods are available, then you will have to consider returning to USA early and find a job there.
Intent to Relocate to USA
US immigration takes immigrating to USA very seriously indeed. And when approving your fiancee or spouse’s visa must be convinced that the visa is going to be used for the correct purpose, for relocation and permanent residence in the USA. Some expat couples only want to visit the USA temporarily, perhaps for shopping, meeting relatives, for an occasional “home leave” and would like to have the “green card” to make that possible. Sorry, but for that is not considered acceptable by US immigration. They MUST be convinced you plan to relocate permanently.
So you will be required as an expat to demonstrate your sincere intention to relocate to USA by presenting evidence of your plans to move home, such as correspondences on potential places to live, to work, or to attend school. US based bank accounts, proof of disposing foreign assets, transferring monies to your USA accounts, drivers licence, voting records and
quotations from moving companies are all useful for this purpose,
This was Fred Wahl, The VisaCoach
Trump Immigration Policies: Effects on K-1 and Spouse Visas
Immigration Policy Update
Trump Immigration Policies: Effects on K-1, Spouse Visas and Green Cards
President Trump’s second-term immigration agenda has moved beyond campaign predictions. By July 2026, several policies are directly affecting visa screening, travel eligibility, family-based petitions, public-charge review and naturalization.
Updated July 25, 2026
What Changed Since This Article Was First Published
The original version of this article was written before President Trump returned to office and therefore discussed possible future actions. This refreshed version replaces those forecasts with policies and agency practices that have actually been announced or implemented.
The most important current developments are expanded country-based entry restrictions, online-presence review for K visa applicants, stronger vetting of family relationships, closer public-charge review for immigrant visas and a more demanding naturalization civics test.
Other earlier predictions—such as eliminating the ability of U.S. citizens to petition for parents or siblings—have not become law as of July 25, 2026.
Original Video
Trump Reelection and Marriage-Based Immigration
This video was recorded before the second administration began. It is retained for historical context; the written update below reflects policies announced through July 2026.
View Original Video Context
The original presentation anticipated that a second Trump administration would emphasize restrictive immigration enforcement, increased scrutiny, travel restrictions, public-charge concerns, more interviews and a stricter citizenship test. Several of those predictions have since been reflected in official policy, while others remain proposals rather than enacted law.
Current Effects
How Trump Administration Policies Now Affect Family Immigration
Expanded Travel and Entry Restrictions
Country-based restrictions were reinstated in June 2025 and expanded in December 2025. The later proclamation fully or partially restricts entry for nationals of dozens of countries and specifically states that family-based immigrant visas are no longer broadly exempt from the restrictions.
For a U.S. citizen engaged or married to a national of an affected country, the impact may include suspended visa issuance, inability to enter the United States or the need to seek a narrow exception or case-by-case waiver.
Online-Presence Review for K Visa Applicants
Beginning March 30, 2026, the Department of State expanded online-presence review to K-1 fiancé, K-2 child and K-3 spouse visa applicants. Applicants should expect public social-media activity and other online information to be examined for identity, security, admissibility and consistency with the visa application.
Couples should carefully review names, dates, relationship history, employment information, travel history and public posts for inconsistencies before submitting forms or attending the interview.
Stronger Family-Petition Vetting
USCIS issued updated family-based immigration guidance in August 2025 and additional spousal-petition guidance in October 2025. The agency emphasized verification of genuine family relationships, circumstances that may require interviews, and fraud detection at the petition stage.
This does not mean every legitimate couple will be denied or interviewed. It does mean that incomplete forms, inconsistent histories and weak relationship evidence can create more risk than they did under a less enforcement-focused approach.
Greater Public-Charge and Financial Scrutiny
The State Department has instructed consular officers to examine whether an immigrant is likely to become a public charge. The review can include age, health, family circumstances, financial resources, education, skills and current or past use of U.S. public benefits.
In January 2026, immigrant visa issuance was also paused for nationals of a long list of countries while public-benefits screening policies were reviewed. Applicants from affected countries may still attend interviews, but issuance may remain paused unless an exception applies.
A More Demanding Citizenship Civics Test
USCIS introduced the 2025 naturalization civics test for applicants filing Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. The test uses a bank of 128 questions. An officer asks up to 20 questions, and the applicant must answer 12 correctly.
This is a confirmed change, not merely a forecast. Applicants should verify which test applies based on their N-400 filing date and study the corresponding official materials.
More In-Person Visa Interviews
The State Department substantially narrowed nonimmigrant interview-waiver eligibility effective October 1, 2025. K-1 and K-3 applicants ordinarily already expect consular interviews, but the broader policy direction confirms a return to more personal screening and fewer routine waivers across visa categories.
USCIS still has authority to determine whether an interview is needed in many family-based cases. Applicants should prepare every filing as though an officer may later question the couple about the relationship and supporting evidence.
Important Distinction
What Has Not Changed
Despite tougher screening and new restrictions, the principal family immigration categories still exist. A U.S. citizen may still file for a qualifying fiancé through the K-1 process, petition for a spouse through the CR-1 or IR-1 process, and petition for eligible parents and siblings under existing law.
No administration can eliminate statutory family-preference categories solely through an agency announcement. Congress would generally need to change the Immigration and Nationality Act. Applicants should therefore distinguish between an enacted rule, a presidential proclamation, agency guidance, a legislative proposal and political commentary.
Practical Preparation
What K-1 and Spouse Visa Couples Should Do Now
Check Nationality-Based Restrictions First
Before spending months preparing a case, determine whether the foreign partner’s nationality, passport or country of residence is affected by a visa-issuance pause or entry proclamation. Also check whether an exception applies to dual nationals or another protected category.
Make Every Answer Consistent
Dates and facts should agree across the petition, visa application, prior visa records, social-media profiles and interview answers. Explain legitimate discrepancies rather than hoping they will not be noticed.
Front-Load Relationship Evidence
Provide organized evidence showing how the relationship began, how it developed, in-person meetings, continuing communication, shared plans and the couple’s intent to build a life together.
Prepare Strong Financial Documentation
Use current tax records, pay statements, employment evidence and, when needed, properly documented assets or a qualified joint sponsor. Do not assume that meeting a single income number will resolve every public-charge concern at a consular interview.
Expect an Interview
Prepare for direct questions about the relationship, prior marriages, family members, immigration history, finances and future plans. Bring updated evidence rather than relying only on material submitted months earlier.
Use Current Government Instructions
Immigration policy can change quickly. Check USCIS, the Department of State and the applicable embassy or consulate before filing, scheduling travel or attending an interview.
Choosing a Path
K-1 Fiancé Visa or CR-1 Spouse Visa?
Stricter vetting does not automatically make one process best for every couple. The right choice still depends on where you plan to marry, your ability to meet in person, expected processing stages, financial eligibility, work and travel priorities after arrival, and the strength of your supporting evidence.
More Help
Related Immigration Policy and Family Visa Guides
Extreme Immigration Vetting
Understand how enhanced identity, security and background screening may affect visa applicants.
Read the guide
K-1 Visa Social-Media Vetting
Prepare for review of online activity and possible questions about public posts and profiles.
Read the guide
K-1 Visa Denials and RFEs
Learn why USCIS may request more evidence or deny a fiancé visa petition.
Read the guide
Spouse Visa Denials and RFEs
Review common problems affecting I-130 petitions and immigrant visa cases.
Read the guide
Personal Immigration Preparation Support
Prepare a Stronger, Better-Organized Family Visa Case
VisaCoach provides one-to-one document preparation and continuing support for K-1 fiancé and CR-1 or IR-1 spouse visa couples navigating a more demanding immigration environment.
