Immigrant Visas
U.S. Citizen – Foreign National Marriages
K-1 Visas
K1 visas are actually nonimmigrant visas but require a slightly different application process. You can download the following documents from our web site. The petition may be filed in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office in the Embassy if the U.S. citizen resides in El Salvador; otherwise, the petition must be filed with the DHS office nearest the citizen’s residence in the U.S.
Marriage in the United States: Fiance(e) Visa. U.S. citizens may file an I-129F petition with DHS for the issuance of a K-1 visa to an alien fiance(e). A citizen exercising this option must remain unmarried until the arrival of the fiance(e) in the U.S., and the wedding must take place within three months of the fiance(e)’s arrival. Also, the alien and U.S. citizen must have met personally at least once in the two years before the petition was filed.
Marriage Abroad: Alien-Spouse Visa. If a U.S. citizen marries as alien abroad, an I-130 petition must be filed with DHS after the marriage to begin the immigration process for the alien spouse. For marriages in El Salvador, such petitions may be filed with the DHS office in the Embassy if the U.S. citizen resides in El Salvador; otherwise, the petition must be filed with the DHS office near the citizen’s residence in the U.S..
General information on marrying foreign nationals from the State Department