K1 Visa Fee: From Start to Green Card

 

The K1 visa allows a U.S. citizen to bring their fiancé to the United States. In this guide, I will explain each of the K1 visa fees that you need to know about before applying for a K1 visa. If you have any questions, or if you need help getting a K1 visa, feel free to email me at Michael@AshooriLaw.com.

 

There are 4 main K1 visa fees:

 

• Form I-129f Filing Fee

 

• Form DS-160 Filing Fee

 

• Medical Exam Fee

 

• Form I-485 Filing Fee

 

• Immigration Lawyer Legal Fee

 

• Miscellaneous Fees

 

 

1. Form I-129f Filing Fee ($535)

 

The first step in the process is for the U.S. citizen to file a Form I-129f of behalf of their foreign fiancé. The Form I-129f is the initial petition that is filed with USCIS.

 

At the time this article is being published, the filing fee that USCIS charges for the Form I-129f is currently $535.

 

You may look up any updates to the Form I-129f filing fee here.

 

 

2. Form DS-160 Filing Fee ($265)

 

Once the Form I-129f is approved, the next step is to file the Form DS-160. The DS-160 is the application for non-immigrant visa. This application is filed by the K1 visa beneficiary.

At the time the article is being published, the current filing fee for the Form DS-160 for a K1 visa is $265.

 

If the foreign fiancé has minor children that will be accompanying the fiancé, each child will require an additional DS-160 filing fee of $265.

 

To see updates to the DS-160 filing fee, you can check here.

 

3. Medical Exam Fee ($100-$300)

 

Prior to getting your K1 visa, you must have a medical exam conducted by a U.S. government approved doctor. The fees for this exam vary from doctor to doctor but generally the fee for the medical exam ranges from $100-$300.

 

 

4. Form I-485 Filing Fee ($1,225)

 

Once you enter the United States on a K1 visa, you have 90 days to get married to your U.S. citizen fiancé. Once you marry your fiancé, the next step is apply for an adjustment of status. An adjustment of status is the process of going from non-immigrant status to permanent resident status (green card). To apply for an adjustment of status, you must file a Form I-485 with USCIS.

At the time the article is being published, the current filing fee for the Form I-485 is $1,225.

 

To see updates to the Form I-485 filing fee, you can check here.

 

 

5. Immigration Lawyer Legal Fee

 

If you choose to work with an immigration lawyer, to prepare and file your K1 visa application, they will charge you a fee for their services. The fee that your immigration lawyer will charge you will depend on many factors including their level of experience and the exact services that they will be providing you.

 

Helpful Tip:

 

• Work with a lawyer that charges a flat fee rather than hourly billing. A flat fee is a pre-set amount that your lawful will charge you to handle your case.

 

• The alternative of a flat fee is hourly billing. With hourly billing, you do not know how much your legal fees are going to come out to.

 

• With a flat fee, you know exactly how much your legal fees will come out to.

 

 

6. Miscellaneous Fees

 

When applying for a K1 visa, there are many documents that you need to submit with your case. Such documents include photographs, copies of your passport, signed statements, etc.

 

Any documents that are not in English must be translated to English. If you choose to work with a translation company, they will charge you a fee for each translation.

 

In addition to translation costs, there will also be courier and printing costs associated with shipping your documents to USCIS or to your attorney.

 

Conclusion

 

There are several fees to anticipate when applying for a K1 visa. You should now have a much better understanding of the K1 visa fees. If you have any questions, feel free to email me directly at Michael@AshooriLaw.com.