You don’t plant a seed
in your backyard and expect a full grown tree the following day.
Everything in
this world takes time to develop and mature including your attainment of
success and accomplishments, trust and respect, friendship and long-lasting
relationships.
According to experts, couples need more than just a few
months to get to know each other in order for them to make a choice along the
way if being together for the rest of their lives is, in fact, a worthy
decision.
Even great
historical figures took a long time wooing their partners in order to obtain
their hands in marriage - the French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte who “pursued and pursued” his beloved Josephine, and the Filipino patriot Jose Rizal who fell in love many times in his life, are
good examples.
The same is true
for Filipinos and their American citizen partners applying for a fiancé(e) visa or K-1 nonimmigrant visa. True to the nature of love and marriage,
a romantic relationship must have already flourished between the couple
applying for a K-1 visa over a period of time, a vital component in their
decision to go through the application process, so that they can eventually
live together legitimately as husband
and wife.
What is expected
of K-1 visa applicants?
As expected,
both applicants are already in a mature relationship as they prepare to enter
marriage. If the relationship is legitimate, courtship has already taken place
and the couple has been seriously dating for quite some time already and has
contemplated on getting married even before the application process
started.
If the couple
intends to “date” only
after the K-1 visa application has been approved, which some applicants have
been found guilty of, that is a clear indication that the visa was intended or
will be used for fraudulent purposes.
What is the
90-day rule?
The USCIS has
established a stipulation for successful K-1 visa applicants to get married
within 90 days after the K-1 visa application has been issued. Once issued, the
non-immigrant applicant is allowed to enter the United States. The couple then
has 90 days to have the marriage ceremony take place. After the marriage, the non-immigrant spouse “may apply for permanent residence
and remain in the United States while USCIS processes the application.” The non-immigrant spouse is given permission to work within the 90-day
period by applying for Employment Authorization with the USCIS Service Center.
The work permission may be extended after 90 days if the non-immigrant spouse
has also chosen to apply for permanent residence at the same time.
What happens
when 90 days have passed and no marriage took place?
The 90 day rule
is strictly imposed for K-1 visas and applicants who did not get married within
the limited period do not get an extension. The non-immigrant spouse is
required to leave the United States immediately or he or she may face
deportation and other immigration issues for non-compliance with the United
States’ immigrations laws.
Do you need
help?
If you have
questions on your K-1 non-immigrant visa applications, you may want to consult
a licensed US Immigration attorney in Manila who will guide you through a
successful attainment of a K-1 visa and let you know what to do, what not to do
and what to avoid once your visa had been issued.
By: Ryan Barshop
Article Disclaimer: This article is made available by the lawyer publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. Use of this article does not create an Attorney Client Relationship. This article does not offer or dispense legal advice. By using the article, the reader agrees that the information does not constitute legal or other professional advice and no attorney-client or other relationship is created. The article is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction. The information on the article may be changed without notice and is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up-to-date. The opinions expressed at or through the article are the opinions of the individual author. The article should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your jurisdiction.
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