An essential paperwork for anyone wishing to bring a fiancé(e) or husband to the US is Form I-129F. This tutorial will address the main concerns regarding who is eligible to file Form I-129F, offer guidance on how to complete it, go over the filing fee in detail, include a checklist, and go over processing time.
Who Can File Form I-129F?
For U.S. citizens who want to bring their foreign fiancé(e) to the country for marriage, they can file Form I-129F, also called the Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). In addition, if a citizen of the United States is already married but hasn’t obtained an immigrant visa, they can use it to bring their spouse here.
In order to submit Form I-129F for a fiancé(e), the petitioner needs to be a citizen of the United States. This form cannot be used by Green Card holders who are permanent residents. Furthermore, unless a waiver is granted for cultural or religious considerations, the petitioner and the foreign fiancé(e) must have met in person within the two years prior to submitting the petition. Also, the fiancé(e) must plan to wed within ninety days of their arrival in the United States.
When applying for a spouse, a U.S. citizen must fulfill the prerequisites for petition filing as well as present documentation of a lawfully recognized marriage.
Form I-129F Instructions: How to Fill Out
It is important for all the information in Form I-129F to be correctly filled to avoid any reject or slow processing period. Below we provide Form I-129F instructions:
Part 1: Information About You (Petitioner):
- Provide your complete name, the address, the birthdate, and any other information the site requires from its customers. Check that all the information collected corresponds to the documents and papers of the organization.
- These are your information about your U.S. citizenship. This can be a birth certificate, passport or naturalization and this must be of the aspirant and not a photocopied one.
Part 2: Information About Your Beneficiary (Fiancé(e) or Spouse):
- Input the full name, address and date of birth of your fiancé(e) or your spouse.
- Proceed and offer particulars about their nationality and immigration background of the would be immigrants, their prior visits to the U. S.
Part 3: Other Information:
- State if you have ever filed a Form I-129F for any other person. If so, provide details.
- If either you or your fiancé(e) has been married before include information about the previous marriage such as the date of marriage and place as well as the date on which it was dissolved.
Part 4: Statement, Contact Information, Certification, and Signature of the Petitioner:
- Check the details you entered, and the details entered on the form, sign the form and fill in your contact information where necessary.
Part 5: Interpreter’s Contact Information, Certification, and Signature (if applicable):
- If an interpreter was used, he/she must include his/her information and sign this section.
Part 6: Contact Information, Declaration, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Petition, if Other Than the Petitioner:
- If somebody else completed the form for you, for example, an attorney have to complete this part.
Form I-129F Filing Fee
Currently, $535 is the filing fee for Form I-129F. When filing by mail, you must pay this charge in full of a check or money order; if filing online, you must pay with an electronic payment. Even in the event that your petition is rejected, the fee is non-refundable, therefore before submitting your paperwork, be sure everything is correct.
Form I-129F Checklist
Some of these documents should be attached to Form I-129F before filing them to avoid being asked to resubmit them later. Here is a checklist:
- Completed Form I-129F: It is important to complete all the fields.
- Filing fee of $535: by check, money order, or electronic transfer.
- Proof of U. S. citizenship: The birth certificate or passport or a Certificate of Naturalization.
- Proof of meeting within the last two years: Any image, logbook, record or whatever proof.
- Passport-style photos: You and one of your fiancé(e) or spouse.
- Intent to marry within 90 days: Signed statements which you and / or your fiancé(e) or spouse have made.
- Proof of termination of previous marriages: Divorce decrees or death certificates as the case.
- Any additional supporting documents: Like proof of relationship, proof of communication etc.
- Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support – signed by petitioner, submit photocopies of tax documents, see Form I-864 checklist for examples of acceptable proof of income.
- Form I-129F Processing Time
A number of variables, such as the volume of work at the USCIS service center managing your case and any issues with your petition, might affect how long it takes to process Form I-129F. Processing periods might take anywhere from six to ten months on average. The most recent processing timelines can be seen on the USCIS website, however keep in mind that these can change.
Following approval, the petition will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) and then to the beneficiary’s home country’s American embassy or consulate. After that, the recipient will be contacted to discuss next steps, which may include bringing further paperwork and showing up for an interview.
A vital step in bringing your fiancé(e) or husband to the US is filing Form I-129F. You may contribute to a seamless process by being aware of who can file the form, attentively reading the directions, and making sure all necessary paperwork and fees are included. To prevent delays, always make sure you are checking for the most recent information and processing times. You should also double-check your submission.
