Marriage Visa Attorney Blog
Given the recent developments in the investigation of the San Bernardino terrorist attacks, where a K1 Fiance Visa was wrongfully given to a terrorist, I expect that there will be changes to the K1 Fiance Visa application process and review. One big change that seems inevitable is how the government will review an applicant’s social media accounts and postings. I do expect that the Department of Homeland Security and The US State Department will begin reviewing the social media accounts of its applicants very soon. Given the need to properly vet those who wish to immigrate to the United States to ensure the safety of all Americans, this seems to be a fair area of inquiry. Historically, social media has not routinely been reviewed for various reasons stemming from privacy concerns to the added expense that the additional review time would necessitate.
Another change that I expect to see in the coming months is a modification of the Fiance Visa forms. I think its safe to assume that more information will be asked of both the petitioner (US Citizen) and the beneficiary (foreign Fiance) and the interview process will become more extensive and difficult.
As you might expect, any increase in the required information necessary to obtain a K1 Fiance Visa, will likely cause an increase in filing fees and processing time. The more the government has to do to review an applicant’s paperwork, the more costly and time consuming it will become.
Whatever the changes, couples who are truly in love and wish to get married in the United States so that they can live together as husband and wife have nothing to worry about. The visa will still be available and issued to good people who are in need of a Fiance Visa. And as changes are proposed and decided upon that affect the K1 Fiancé Visa application process, I will share those changes with you. As always, I welcome any questions that you may have about the K1 Fiance Visa. You can call me anytime at 1-888-515-3529.
Attorney Jeff Pettys
