U.S. Embassy & Consulates
in Mexico

Step 9: Travel to the United States

The K-1 visa is generally valid for a single entry for six months from the date on the medical exam is performed. Possession of a valid visa is no guarantee of admission to the U.S. An immigration officer at a U.S. port of entry determines your final admissibility to the U.S.

Once admitted to the U.S. as a fiancé(e), you have 90 days to marry your fiancé(e) and report this marriage to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Please note that this is 90 days, NOT three months, and plan accordingly.

Upon USCIS approval, you will be given conditional resident status (CF-1: conditional green card) as an immigrant in the U.S. IF YOU DEPART THE U.S. WITHOUT HAVING GAINED USCIS APPROVAL AS AN IMMIGRANT, YOU MUST QUALIFY FOR AN IMMIGRANT VISA OVERSEAS BEFORE YOU MAY RETURN TO THE U.S. This means you may have to apply for another immigrant visa at an Embassy or Consulate in a process similar to the K visa application process.  If you need to travel outside of the U.S. before completing the processing, you must apply for Advance Parole at USCIS in order to reenter the U.S. and continue processing.

Important Notice: Unmarried children under the age of 21 (K-2) are eligible to apply either with their K-1 parent or later, and follow-to-join the K-1 parent. If following-to-join, a K-2 applicant must apply for and be issued a K-2 visa

More Information

For more information about visas for a spouse or fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen, please click here.

Please also read “Information on the Legal Rights Available to Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in the United States and Facts about Immigrating on a Marriage-Based Visa Fact Sheet“.