K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa Step by Step

Who this is for: A U.S. citizen and an unmarried partner in mainland China who plan for the partner to come to the U.S. first, marry in the U.S., and then apply for a green card inside the U.S.

Facts follow USCIS, the State Department and the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China, last checked 2026-10-14. Items marked ⚠️ change often.

1. First: is K-1 right for you?

Basic requirements (all four):

1. The petitioner is a U.S. citizen. Green card holders can't file for a K-1.
2. You both intend to marry within 90 days after the partner enters on the K-1, and the marriage is genuine, not for immigration.
3. You are both legally free to marry now: any previous marriages ended by divorce, death or annulment.
4. You have met in person within the 2 years before filing (at least once). A waiver is possible only if meeting would violate strict, long-established customs of the partner's culture or cause extreme hardship to the U.S. citizen.

When K-1 isn't for you: you are already married (including a marriage registered in China), you plan to marry outside the U.S., or the partner already lives in the U.S. lawfully. These cases go through spousal immigration: in the U.S. see Marriage green card; abroad see Consular processing.

Many couples compare "K-1, come to the U.S. and marry there" with "marry in China first and apply for a spousal immigrant visa (CR-1/IR-1)." K-1 lets you reunite sooner and have the wedding in the U.S., but after entry you still have to apply for a green card and pay another set of fees, and travel and work are restricted while the green card is pending. The spousal immigrant visa makes you a permanent resident on entry. Which is faster and cheaper depends on USCIS and consular processing times at the time.

2. Overview and timeline

Flow: The U.S. citizen files the I-129F ($675) → USCIS approves → the NVC forwards the case to the Consulate General in Guangzhou → the fiancé(e) fills out the DS-160, books, has the medical exam, prepares documents → Guangzhou interview (visa fee $265) → K-1 issued (single entry, valid up to 6 months) → enter the U.S. → marry within 90 days → file the I-485 to adjust status (with optional work permit and advance parole) → 2-year conditional green card → I-751 to remove conditions

3. Step by step

Step 1: The U.S. citizen files the I-129F

• Form: I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)), current edition 01/20/25. It can only be filed with USCIS in the U.S., not at an embassy or USCIS office abroad.
• Fee: $675 ⚠️ (G-1055, 10/07/26 edition).
• Common documents: proof of the citizen's status (passport, birth certificate or naturalization certificate); passport photo pages for both; proof that any previous marriages ended (divorce decree or death certificate); evidence of meeting within 2 years (flights, hotel bookings, photos together, travel records); a signed statement of intent to marry from each of you; relationship evidence (chat and call records, engagement photos and so on).
• IMBRA: if you met through an international marriage broker, or the U.S. citizen has certain criminal convictions, additional disclosures are required per the I-129F instructions. At the interview the officer gives the K-1 applicant an oral briefing on the rights pamphlet and any criminal background information USCIS received about the citizen.
• If the fiancé(e) has unmarried children under 21, list them on the I-129F; they can then apply for K-2 visas without a separate petition.

Step 2: The NVC sends the case to Guangzhou

• After approval the I-129F goes to the National Visa Center (NVC), which assigns a case number and sends it to the post where the fiancé(e) lives.
• K visas for mainland China are all handled by the Consulate General in Guangzhou (Guangzhou is the only post in China that processes immigrant visas, and K visas fall under the immigrant visa unit, not the nonimmigrant unit).
• An approved I-129F is valid for 4 months; if the post can't finish in time, the consular officer can extend it.

Step 3: Preparing for the interview

1. Fill out the DS-160 (note: K-1 applicants use the nonimmigrant DS-160, not the DS-260) and print the confirmation. Tips: Filling out the DS-160.
2. Book the interview on the appointment website as the post instructs, and complete online registration (used to return the passport after the interview).
3. Medical exam: after you get an interview date, go to one of the post's designated panel physicians (in Beijing, Guangzhou, Fujian and Shanghai; follow the post's latest list). The Guangzhou International Travel Healthcare Center's basic fee for ages 15+ is about RMB 1,700 (per the post's February 2026 instructions) ⚠️. Vaccinations aren't required at the K-1 stage but are required when adjusting status, and the government recommends getting them at the exam.
4. Documents (each applicant):
   • Passport: the State Department requires validity at least 6 months beyond the intended stay; the Guangzhou immigrant visa checklist says at least 8 months from the issue date, so prepare to the stricter standard; bring old passports;
   • DS-160 confirmation page and two 2×2 inch white-background color photos (within 6 months, no glasses);
   • Notarial birth certificate (mainland-born applicants need one issued by a notary office showing date and place of birth and both parents' names);
   • Notarial certificate of no criminal record: required for those 16 or older who lived in China for 6 months or more, issued by a notary office within 24 months, with an English translation; anyone who lived in another country for 1 year or more needs that country's too;
   • Former name notarization if you used another name; marriage and divorce/death notarial certificates for any previous marriages; proof that both partners' previous marriages ended;
   • The sealed medical report (don't open it);
   • Affidavit of support I-134 (free form) + the citizen's most recent IRS tax transcript + W-2s, 1099s and other proof of income; a joint sponsor if income is below the poverty line;
   • Relationship evidence: photos together, communication records, money transfers, travel itineraries for your visits.
   • All Chinese documents must be notarial certificates from a notary office with English translations. See Preparing Chinese documents.

Step 4: The Guangzhou interview

• Visa application fee: $265 (K category) ⚠️, paid separately for each K-1 and K-2 applicant.
• Location: U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou (Zhujiang New Town); the visitor entrance is on Huaxia Road, near exit B1 of Zhujiang New Town station on Metro lines 3 and 5.
• Who can attend: the U.S. citizen and lawyers cannot enter the waiting area or interview; children under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• Outcomes: approved (the passport is kept and later returned through a CITIC Bank branch or to your registered address); 221(g) for more documents or administrative processing (the post suggests waiting at least 90 days before asking about administrative processing; see 221(g)); or refusal (if the relationship isn't accepted, the post returns the I-129F to USCIS).
• Social media ⚠️: since 2026-03-30 K-1, K-2 and K-3 applicants are included in online-presence vetting and must set all social media accounts to public.
• Interview waivers: K visas aren't eligible.

Common interview questions

• How did you meet? Where and when did you first meet in person?
• How many times have you met? How long each time, and where did you go?
• When and how did you get engaged? When and where is the wedding?
• What does your partner do, what do they earn, where do they live? Have you met their family?
• How do you usually stay in touch? What language do you speak together?
• Have you been married before? Do you have children? Have you been to the U.S.?
• Do you know what you have to do after getting the visa? (Marry within 90 days, apply for the green card)

Principles: be consistent with the I-129F, answer truthfully, and say you don't know if you don't.

Step 5: Entering the U.S.

• You receive your passport, the K-1 visa and a sealed envelope (don't open it; the CBP officer opens it); enter once within the visa's validity (up to 6 months from issuance).
• K-2 children must enter with or after the K-1; within 1 year of issuance they don't need a separate application.
• The CBP officer decides whether to admit you (see Entering the U.S. and the I-94).
• K visas don't pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee, unlike immigrant visas.

4. After entry: marrying within 90 days and adjusting status

The 90-day rule

• K-1/K-2 status ends automatically after 90 days and can't be extended or changed to another nonimmigrant status.
• If you don't marry within 90 days, you generally must leave; otherwise you violate immigration law and may be removed, affecting future applications.
• If you marry after 90 days, the U.S. citizen can file a separate I-130 spousal petition; a K-1 entrant can generally adjust only through marriage to this petitioner.

What to file for the green card ⚠️ (G-1055, 10/07/26 edition)

• Work: after entry you can apply separately for a K-1 work permit valid for 90 days; more commonly you file the I-765 with the I-485 after marrying. Since 2025-12-05, work permits while an I-485 is pending are limited to 18 months instead of 5 years.
• A higher support standard: at the K-1 interview, the I-134 requires the citizen's income to reach 100% of the federal poverty line; for adjustment, the I-864 requires 125% plus the most recent year's tax records.
• New public charge rule ⚠️: since 2026-09-18 USCIS applies a new public charge review to newly filed I-485s. Fiancé(e)s are in a category subject to review. Officers weigh age, health, family, assets and income, education and skills; the I-864 is only one factor and no longer decisive on its own, and means-tested benefits applied for or received after 2026-09-18 may be considered.
• Interview: USCIS usually requires both spouses to attend and asks about daily life details. Preparation: Marriage green card.
• Conditional green card: if you have been married less than 2 years at approval, you get a 2-year conditional green card and file the I-751 in the 90 days before it expires; see I-751.
• Travel while pending: leaving without advance parole usually abandons the I-485, so get advance parole first.

5. What applicants report (since 2025, individual experiences, not guarantees)

• The I-129F takes a while: in 2025–2026 VisaJourney timelines, most I-129Fs took about six months to a year from filing to approval, some longer; the whole process commonly takes 12–18 months.
• Watch for Guangzhou appointments: in 2026 some reported that after the NVC sent the case to Guangzhou, the appointment site showed "no slots" for a long time and they had to check daily.
• Interview language and length: Chinese-language posts generally say the Guangzhou interview can be in Mandarin and mostly lasts under fifteen minutes, focusing on how you met, how often you've met, wedding plans and the partner's situation.
• Common reasons for 221(g): an incomplete I-134 proof of income (missing tax transcript), incomplete notarial certificates, too little relationship evidence. Some were placed in administrative processing because of sensitive academic backgrounds or résumés.
• Make your meeting evidence solid: applicants who had only one brief meeting were questioned more. Shared advice: organize flights, hotels and photos from each meeting chronologically; choose representative chat records rather than printing everything.
• Many end up preferring CR-1: lower total cost and the ability to work on arrival, and the time difference is often smaller than expected.
• Don't delay after entry: check your county's marriage license appointment availability in advance and leave some margin; after marrying, file the I-485 promptly, making sure you use the 2026-09-18 edition.

6. FAQ

1. We already got a marriage certificate in China. Can we still do K-1? No. Married couples go through spousal immigration (I-130). K-1 is only for couples not yet married who plan to marry in the U.S.

2. We only met online and haven't met in person. Can we file the I-129F? No. You must have met in person within 2 years before filing, unless you qualify for the cultural or extreme hardship waiver.

3. What if the K-1 visa expires before I enter? The K-1 is single entry, valid up to 6 months, and can't be extended. An unused, expired visa usually means applying again.

4. We couldn't marry within 90 days. Can we extend? No. K-1 status ends automatically at 90 days. If you later marry the same U.S. citizen, they can file an I-130, but you'll face status problems; talk to a lawyer.

5. Can I marry someone other than the petitioner and get a green card? Generally no. A K-1 entrant can in principle adjust only through marriage to the original petitioner.

6. Can I work right after entering? You can apply for a K-1 work permit (only until 90 days after entry), or after marrying file a work permit with the I-485 (up to 18 months while pending). You can't work until you have the card.

7. Can I go back to China while the green card is pending? Apply for and receive advance parole (I-131) first. Leaving without it usually abandons the I-485.

8. Can my children come too? Unmarried children under 21 can apply for K-2 visas if they were named on the I-129F; each child files their own I-485 to adjust. The stepparent relationship with the U.S. citizen must be created before the child turns 18 (that is, marry before the child's 18th birthday).

9. Must social media really be public? Since 2026-03-30 the State Department requires K-1, K-2 and K-3 applicants to set all social media to public and list accounts truthfully on the DS-160.

10. Does the early-2026 pause on immigrant visas for 75 countries affect Chinese applicants? China wasn't on that list, and the State Department says that under a court order the pause has not been enforced since 2026-08-21.

11. What if we marry outside the U.S. after getting a K-1? The K-1 is for marrying in the U.S.; if you marry before entering, you need to switch to the spousal immigrant visa.

7. Official links

• State Department K-1 fiancé(e) visa: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/nonimmigrant-visa-for-a-fiance-k-1.html
• USCIS visas for fiancé(e)s: https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-of-us-citizens/visas-for-fiancees-of-us-citizens
• Form I-129F: https://www.uscis.gov/i-129f
• Form I-485: https://www.uscis.gov/i-485
• Form I-864: https://www.uscis.gov/i-864
• USCIS fee schedule G-1055 (PDF): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1055.pdf
• State Department visa fees: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/fees-visa-services.html
• U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China, fiancé(e) visa: https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/visas/immigrant-visas/fiancee-visa
• U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou immigrant visa interview instructions (February 2026, with medical clinics and document list, PDF): https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/iv-dv-supplemental/GUZ%20-%20Guangzhou%202-3-2026.pdf
• State Department China civil documents (notarial certificates, police certificates) and reciprocity: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/China.html
• State Department vetting categories (updated 2026-09-18): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants.html
• USCIS public charge guidance (effective 2026-09-18): https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-issues-guidance-on-making-public-charge-inadmissibility-determination
• USCIS shorter work permit validity (2025-12): https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-increases-screening-vetting-of-aliens-working-in-us
• State Department notice on the 75-country immigrant visa pause (no longer enforced): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/immigrant-visa-processing-updates-for-nationalities-at-high-risk-of-public-benefits-usage.html

Disclaimer: This guide is for reference only and is not legal advice. K-1 and green card rules, fees and processing times change often; follow the latest from USCIS, the State Department and the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou. If there are previous marriages, criminal records, overstays or a marriage broker involved, talk to a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.