Once the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) approves an I-129F Petition for Alien Fiancé, the foreign fiancé typically has four (4) months to apply for a K-1 fiancé visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
However, due to the time that it takes for an approved petition to be sent and received by the National Visa Center and then forwarded to the foreign fiancé’s embassy or consulate where he/she will undergo a visa interview, petition revalidation is possible. While the interviewing consular officer will often automatically revalidate an expired petition, demonstrating ongoing intent that the U.S. citizen and foreign fiancé intend to marry within ninety (90) days upon the foreign fiancé’s arrival in the United States may be requested. The rationale behind requesting updated documentation showing continued marital intent is to ensure that the couple’s bona-fide relationship remains current and genuine. It further helps to reduce prolonged processing of outdated or abandoned petitions.
While there is no statutory limit of how many times a petition can be revalidated, an embassy or consulate may send an approved petition back to USCIS if it is determined that the couple no longer has plans to marry within 90 days upon arrival in the United States. As a result, engaged couples whose petition remains pending awaiting interview for quite some time are encouraged to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to consider available options.
For more information, contact us at info@enterlinepartners.com.
ENTERLINE & PARTNERS CONSULTING
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Office
146C7 Nguyen Van Huong St, Thao Dien Ward,
District 2, Thu Duc City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 933 301 488
Email: info@enterlinepartners.com
Facebook: Enterline & Partners – Dịch vụ Thị thực và Định cư Hoa Kỳ
YouTube: @EnterlineAndPartnersConsulting
Website: http://enterlinepartners.com
Manila, Philippines Office
LKG Tower 37th Floor
6801 Ayala Avenue
Makati City, Philippines 1226
Tel: +63 917 543 7926
Email: info@enterlinepartners.com
Facebook: Enterline and Partners Philippines
Website: https://enterlinepartners.com/language/en/welcome/
Copyright 2025. This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This article may be changed with or without notice. The opinions expressed in this article are those of Enterline & Partners only.
