International love is far more complicated than falling in love with someone from the same country as you. Whether you met someone during a vacation, while working abroad or initially connected digitally and then met in the real world later, pursuing a relationship with someone who lives in another country can be difficult.
When you know that you are ready to take things to the next level, it makes sense for one of you to move to where the other person lives. If you are a citizen of the United States and have a fiance who lives in another country, you will need to secure a K-1 visa if you want your fiance to enter the country and live with you in the United States. Once you get that visa, how soon will you have to marry your fiance?
The clock starts ticking when your fiance enters the country
Moving to a new country takes a lot of time and investment, which thankfully the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recognizes. In theory, your fiance has up to six months of time from the date that the USCIS grants their visa if they need to tend to issues at home and make travel and relocation arrangements.
However, once they do enter the United States via their K-1 visa, you will have to move forward with your marriage quickly. In most cases, you will have only 90 days from the date when your fiance arrives to formalize your relationship and marry them.
Sponsoring someone for entrance into the United States requires help
Securing a visa and helping someone you love enter the United States legally requires the careful execution of paperwork, submission of evidence validating your relationship and careful adherence to rules.
Having someone with the right knowledge to help you with this process and guide you and your fiance will certainly make things easier. Not only does working with an immigration attorney reduce the risk of making preventable mistakes, but it can also let you focus more on your relationship and your upcoming wedding than on the paperwork that allows you to have a wedding.