I-129F Fiance Visa Petition Guide

USCIS FIANCE VISA PETITION GUIDE

Complete Guide to Form I-129F

A complete field-by-field guide to the Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), including K-1 and K-3 classification, petitioner and beneficiary information, relationship history, IMBRA questions, criminal history, signatures, supporting evidence and filing preparation.

Before You Start: Prepare Your Records

Form I-129F is used by a qualifying U.S. citizen to petition for a fiancé(e) for K-1 classification or, in applicable circumstances, a spouse for K-3 classification. Prepare identity, citizenship, relationship and immigration records before completing the petition.

U.S. Citizenship Evidence Prepare evidence showing that the petitioner is a U.S. citizen.
Relationship Evidence Prepare proof of the relationship and applicable in-person meetings.
Address & Employment History Prepare the five-year histories requested for both petitioner and beneficiary.
Marriage & Filing History Have prior marriages and previous I-129F filings available.
K-1 and K-3 are different classifications.

K-1 is for a qualifying fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. K-3 is for a qualifying spouse when the petitioner has filed Form I-130 and seeks the applicable K-3 classification. All sample information below is fictional.

FORM I-129F — PART 1

Classification Requested

Classification for the Beneficiary

FIANCE(E) — K-1 VISA Select when you are petitioning for your fiancé(e) to enter the United States for the purpose of marrying you.
SPOUSE — K-3 VISA Select when filing for an eligible spouse under the K-3 classification.
Do not select based on which category seems faster.

Select the classification that actually matches your legal relationship and filing basis.

If Filing for K-3, Have You Filed Form I-130?

K-3 CASES
YES Select when Form I-130 has already been filed for the spouse.
NO Do not answer Yes merely because you intend to file I-130 later.
FORM I-129F — PART 1

Information About You — Petitioner

Alien Registration Number — A-Number

Enter your A-Number if USCIS has assigned one. If you do not have one, follow the form instructions.

A-123456789

USCIS Online Account Number

Enter your USCIS Online Account Number if one has been assigned. This is different from an A-Number or USCIS receipt number.

U.S. Social Security Number

Enter your U.S. Social Security Number if you have one. Do not enter a foreign identification or tax number.

Your Full Legal Name

Enter Family Name, Given Name and Middle Name according to your current legal identity documents.

FAMILY NAME: DE VRIES
GIVEN NAME: JOHN
MIDDLE NAME: ALEXANDER

Other Names Used

Provide all other names you have used, including aliases, maiden names and nicknames.

Do not omit a prior legal surname simply because it is no longer used.
FORM I-129F — PART 1

Petitioner Address History

Mailing Address

Provide your current mailing address, including In Care Of Name where applicable, street address, apartment/suite/floor, city, state, ZIP Code, province, postal code and country.

Is Your Mailing Address the Same as Your Physical Address?

YES Select when the addresses are actually the same.
NO Provide your physical address separately.

Physical Address History — Last Five Years

Provide your physical addresses for the last five years, whether inside or outside the United States. Enter your current address first.

Check the dates Make sure the required five-year period is covered without unexplained gaps.
FORM I-129F — PART 1

Petitioner Employment History

Employer 1 — Current or Most Recent

Provide the employer's full name and address, your occupation, employment start date, and employment end date where applicable.

If you are unemployed, follow the current form instructions for reporting unemployment.

Employer 2

Provide the additional employment needed to complete the five-year employment history.

FORM I-129F — PART 1

Information About Your Parents

Parent 1

Provide Parent 1's full legal name, date of birth, city or town and country of birth, and current city/town and country of residence.

Parent 2

Provide the same required information for Parent 2.

FORM I-129F — PART 1

Previous Marriage Information

Have You Been Previously Married?

YES Provide information for each previous spouse.
NO Select only if you have never had a previous legal marriage.

Previous Spouse Name and Marriage End Date

Provide each previous spouse's legal name and the date the marriage legally ended. Use Part 8 when more space is required.

FORM I-129F — PART 1

Petitioner Citizenship Information

How Did You Obtain U.S. Citizenship?

BIRTH IN THE UNITED STATES Select when citizenship was acquired through birth in the United States.
NATURALIZATION Select when you became a citizen through naturalization.
U.S. CITIZEN PARENTS Select when citizenship was acquired through qualifying parent(s).

Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship

If applicable, provide the certificate number, place of issuance and date of issuance requested by the form.

FORM I-129F — PART 1

Previous Form I-129F Filings

Have You Previously Filed Form I-129F?

YES Provide the prior beneficiary's full name, A-Number if applicable, filing date, and final action taken.
NO Select only if you have never previously filed Form I-129F.
A prior petition that was denied, revoked or withdrawn still counts as a previous filing.

Final Action on Previous Petition

Report the actual result, such as approved, denied, revoked or withdrawn. Use additional information space when more than one prior filing exists.

FORM I-129F — PART 1

Petitioner's Children Under 18

Do You Have Any Children Under 18 Years of Age?

YES Provide the age of each child under 18 as requested.
NO Select when you have no children under 18.
FORM I-129F — PART 1

Places You Have Resided Since Age 18

U.S. States and Foreign Countries

List all U.S. states and foreign countries where you have lived since reaching 18 years of age. Use Part 8 if additional space is needed.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Information About Your Beneficiary

Beneficiary Full Legal Name

Provide the beneficiary's Family Name, Given Name and Middle Name.

FAMILY NAME: JANSEN
GIVEN NAME: EMMA
MIDDLE NAME: SOPHIE

Beneficiary A-Number

Enter the beneficiary's A-Number if one exists. If no A-Number exists, follow the form instruction.

Beneficiary U.S. Social Security Number

Enter the beneficiary's U.S. Social Security Number if applicable. Do not enter a foreign identification number.

Date of Birth

Enter the beneficiary's actual date of birth.

Sex

MALE Select when applicable under the current form instruction.
FEMALE Select when applicable under the current form instruction.

Current Marital Status

Choose the beneficiary's actual current legal marital status. For a K-1 petition, both parties must be legally free to marry at the required time.

Place of Birth

Provide the beneficiary's city/town and country of birth. If the beneficiary is stateless, follow the form instructions.

Other Names Used

Provide all other names used by the beneficiary, including aliases, maiden names and nicknames.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Beneficiary Address History

Beneficiary Mailing Address

Provide the beneficiary's current mailing address. If the beneficiary has a U.S. mailing address, provide it where appropriate.

Beneficiary Physical Address History — Last Five Years

Provide the beneficiary's physical addresses for the last five years, inside or outside the United States. Enter the current address first where applicable.

Check that the five-year period is fully covered.
FORM I-129F — PART 2

Beneficiary Employment History

Current or Most Recent Employer

Provide employer name and address, the beneficiary's occupation, employment start date, and end date where applicable.

Previous Employer

Provide additional employment needed to complete the required five-year employment history.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Beneficiary Parent Information

Beneficiary Parent 1

Provide the parent's full name, date of birth, place of birth, and current residence information requested by the form.

Beneficiary Parent 2

Provide the same required information for the other parent.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Beneficiary Previous Marriage Information

Has the Beneficiary Been Previously Married?

YES Provide information about each previous spouse.
NO Select only when there were no previous legal marriages.

Previous Spouse and Termination Date

Enter each previous spouse's full legal name and the date the marriage ended. Use Part 8 for additional marriages.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Beneficiary Children

Children of the Beneficiary

Provide each child's full name, country of birth, date of birth, and current address information as requested.

K-2 / K-4

Eligible children may seek the appropriate derivative K classification. A separate I-129F is generally not filed solely to classify those derivative children.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Beneficiary U.S. Entry Information

Has the Beneficiary Ever Been in the United States?

YES Provide the requested information concerning the beneficiary's U.S. presence.
NO Select only if the beneficiary has never been in the United States.

Class of Admission

Enter the immigration status/class used for the relevant U.S. admission where requested.

Form I-94 Number

Enter the actual I-94 Arrival/Departure Record number if applicable.

Arrival Date and Authorized Stay

Provide the date of arrival and expiration of authorized stay shown by the applicable immigration record.

Passport / Travel Document Information

Provide passport or travel-document number, country of issuance and expiration date where requested.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Relationship and In-Person Meeting

Is Your Fiance(e) Related to You?

YES Explain the nature and degree of the relationship.
NO Select when there is no family relationship.
N/A Used where the beneficiary is your spouse rather than fiancé(e).

Have You and Your Fiance(e) Met in Person During the Two Years Before Filing?

YES Describe the circumstances of the in-person meeting and submit evidence showing you were physically present together.
NO Explain the reason you are requesting an exemption and submit supporting evidence.
N/A Applies when the beneficiary is your spouse for K-3 purposes.
K-1 requirement

Generally, the petitioner and fiancé(e) must have met in person during the two years immediately before filing, unless a qualifying exemption applies.

Describe Your In-Person Meeting or Exemption Request

Describe dates, places and circumstances accurately. For an exemption request, explain why the requirement would violate strict and long-established customs or would result in extreme hardship to the petitioner, as applicable.

Do not write a vague statement such as “we met many times.” Use actual dates, places and circumstances.
FORM I-129F — PART 2

International Marriage Broker Information

Did You Meet the Beneficiary Through an International Marriage Broker?

YES Provide the International Marriage Broker's information and required documentation.
NO Select when the relationship was not established through an IMB covered by the question.

IMB Name and Contact Information

Where applicable provide: broker name, organization, website, street address, city, province, postal code, country, and telephone number.

Beneficiary's Written Consent

When required, attach the signed written consent obtained by the broker authorizing release of the beneficiary's personal contact information to you.

FORM I-129F — PART 2

Consular Processing Information

U.S. Embassy or Consulate

Enter the city/town and country of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where the beneficiary is expected to apply for the K visa.

The final processing location can depend on Department of State procedures and jurisdiction.
FORM I-129F — PART 3

Criminal and Protective Order Information

These questions apply to the petitioner and must be answered carefully.

Protection or Restraining Orders

Answer whether you have ever been subject to a temporary or permanent protection or restraining order, whether civil or criminal.

Specified Violent or Abuse-Related Crimes

The form asks whether you have ever been arrested or convicted for specified offenses including categories such as: domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, child neglect, dating violence, elder abuse, stalking, or attempts to commit covered offenses.

Read the official question exactly.

The form's criminal-history questions can require disclosure even if a record was sealed, cleared or someone told you it no longer existed.

Homicide, Murder, Manslaughter, Rape, Abusive Sexual Contact and Related Crimes

Answer each applicable criminal-history category according to your actual history.

Kidnapping, False Imprisonment, Involuntary Servitude and Related Crimes

Answer Yes or No according to your actual criminal record and the exact current USCIS wording.

Other Criminal Offenses

The form also asks about other arrests, citations, charges, indictments, convictions, fines or imprisonment for violating laws or ordinances, subject to the exact wording and exceptions in the form.

Do not decide that an old offense is too minor to disclose.

Where the answer is Yes, the form instructions can require details and certified court or arrest records.

Provide Circumstances, Place, Date and Outcome

For applicable Yes answers, provide the circumstances, location, dates, and outcome for each incident, using Part 8 when more space is required.

FORM I-129F — PART 3

Multiple Filing Limitation and Waiver Information

Prior I-129F Filing Limits

USCIS applies statutory multiple-filing limitations in certain I-129F cases. Your prior filing history determines whether this issue may apply.

Waiver of the Filing Limitation

Where the filing limitation applies, the petition may require a waiver request and supporting explanation under the applicable rules.

This is not a routine Yes/No issue.

If you have filed previous I-129F petitions, review the exact USCIS requirements before answering the waiver questions.

FORM I-129F — PART 4

Biographic Information

Ethnicity

HISPANIC OR LATINO Select if applicable.
NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO Select if applicable.

Race

Select all applicable race categories presented on the form.

Height and Weight

Enter height in feet and inches and weight in pounds as requested.

Eye Color

Select the applicable eye-color option from the form.

Hair Color

Select the applicable hair-color option from the form.

FORM I-129F — PART 5

Petitioner's Statement, Contact Information and Signature

Petitioner's Statement

Indicate whether you read and understood the petition yourself, or whether an interpreter read the questions and instructions to you.

Petitioner's Contact Information

Provide daytime telephone number, mobile telephone number where applicable, and email address.

Declaration and Certification

Read the declaration carefully. By signing, you certify under penalty of perjury that the petition and evidence are complete, true and correct.

Signature and Date

Do not forget the signature.

A missing or invalid signature can cause a paper filing to be rejected.

FORM I-129F — PART 6

Interpreter Information, Certification and Signature

Interpreter Full Name

Enter Family Name and Given Name of the interpreter.

Business or Organization

Enter the interpreter's business or organization name where applicable.

Mailing Address

Provide the complete interpreter mailing address requested by the form.

Telephone and Email

Provide daytime phone, mobile phone where applicable, and email address.

Interpreter Certification

The interpreter certifies that they are fluent in English and the language used to interpret the petition for the petitioner.

Interpreter Signature and Date

The interpreter signs and dates this section when an interpreter was used.

FORM I-129F — PART 7

Preparer Information, Declaration and Signature

Preparer Full Name

Provide the preparer's Family Name and Given Name.

Business or Organization

Provide the preparer's business or organization name where applicable.

Mailing Address

Provide the complete preparer mailing address requested by the form.

Contact Information

Provide phone numbers and email address as requested.

Attorney or Accredited Representative

Complete the applicable statement concerning whether the preparer is an attorney or accredited representative and the scope of representation.

Preparer Certification, Signature and Date

The preparer certifies that the petition was prepared at the petitioner's request using information provided or authorized by the petitioner.

FORM I-129F — PART 8

Additional Information

Petitioner Name and A-Number

At the start of Part 8, enter the petitioner's name and A-Number where applicable.

Page Number, Part Number and Item Number

For every additional explanation, identify the exact page, part and item number to which the answer relates.

PAGE NUMBER: 8
PART NUMBER: 2
ITEM NUMBER: 54

Additional Sheets

If Part 8 does not provide enough room, follow USCIS instructions for attaching additional sheets and clearly identify the relevant page, part and item number.

BEFORE FILING

Supporting Evidence and Final Checks

Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

Provide acceptable evidence showing the petitioner is a U.S. citizen, according to the current USCIS instructions.

Evidence Both Parties Are Free to Marry

For K-1 cases, provide evidence that any previous marriages of the petitioner and beneficiary were legally terminated.

Evidence of Intention to Marry Within 90 Days

For K-1 cases, submit evidence showing that both parties genuinely intend to marry within 90 days after the beneficiary's admission in K-1 status.

Evidence of In-Person Meeting

Provide evidence of the required meeting during the two-year period, or evidence supporting an applicable exemption.

Passport-Style Photographs

Include photographs when required by the current Form I-129F instructions, using current USCIS photo specifications.

Foreign-Language Documents

Any foreign-language document submitted to USCIS must include the required complete English translation and translator certification.

Criminal History Documents

If a criminal-history question requires a Yes answer, review the current instructions for required certified arrest, court and disposition records or other documentation.

Final Review Before Filing

Check at minimum:
Correct K-1 or K-3 classification
Petitioner legal name and identifiers
Five-year petitioner address history
Five-year petitioner employment history
Parents and prior spouses
Citizenship information
Previous I-129F filings
Children under 18
Places lived since age 18
Beneficiary legal name and identifiers
Five-year beneficiary address history
Five-year beneficiary employment history
Beneficiary parents and prior marriages
Beneficiary children
U.S. entry and I-94 information
Two-year in-person meeting question
IMBRA information
Consular location
Every criminal-history question
Multiple-filing limitation questions
Biographic information
Interpreter and preparer sections
All required signatures
Required evidence and translations
Final Rule: Never copy the sample answers.

Every Form I-129F must reflect the petitioner's and beneficiary's actual identity, relationship, immigration history, address history, marriage history and circumstances.

No matching Form I-129F topic was found.
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