K1 Visa Income Requirements 2023

What Is Considered Proof of a Bona Fide Relationship?

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will also require sufficient proof of a real, bona fide relationship between the two parties. They request this proof to ensure they are not undergoing the K-1 visa process simply for immigration benefits. Some examples of valid proof of a relationship include the following.

• Photos: Social media pictures of outings or date nights
• Communications: Letters, emails, text messages, or other chat logs
• Testaments: Written and signed letters from family and friends that confirm the validity of the relationship, as well as their contact information

How Much Income Is Needed for a K-1 Visa?

To qualify for a K-1 visa, you must have sufficient financial resources to support your spouse. You must also have a stable income and meet the minimum annual earnings requirement. For a household of two (you and your spouse), you must make at least $24,650. If your household has more than two people, you will need to make more. See the chart above for a full outline of the K-1 visa income requirements.

What Counts as Stable Earnings for the K-1 Fiancé Visa?

It’s important to keep in mind that the earnings must be stable. This means you need to have an income that is consistent and will support your fiancé in the long term.

Here’s a breakdown of different types of earnings:

• US-based salaries, unless it comes from a seasonal or temporary job.
  • Income you earn overseas may be an exception if it’s:
    • Income from the US military
    • Earnings from a Department of Defense contractor
    • Income from a temporary overseas assignment by a company based in the US
• Social Security retirement benefits
• Social Security permanent disability benefits
• VA benefits
• Retirement benefits
• Any type of income that you would report on your IRS Form 1040 counts as earnings. These could include:
  • Capital gains
  • Interest income

These types of income can count as stable depending on their duration.

What Counts as Unstable Earnings for K1 Visa?

• Unemployment benefits are considered earnings. But they are not classified as stable earnings.
  • The only exception is possible if the unemployment benefits are paid in conjunction with a new job.
• Social Security temporary disability benefits are considered earnings, but not stable earnings.
• Social Security SSI benefits (financial need-based disability benefits) are not considered earnings.

It’s important to note that welfare benefits do not count as earnings. Receiving welfare benefits could disqualify you from sponsoring your fiancé.

How Do You Prove You Meet the Minimum Income Requirement for Fiancé Visa?

You will need to prove your income on two different occasions for a K1 Visa:

• During consular processing that brings your foreign fiancé into the United States.
  • You will need to submit the I-134 Affidavit of Support.
• When your fiancé adjusts their status to become a permanent resident.
  • During this stage, you’ll need to submit the I-864 Affidavit of Support.

How Much Money Do I Need in the Bank for a K-1 Visa?

It is not necessary to have a certain amount of money in a bank account to meet minimum income requirements for supporting your spouse. Instead, the U.S. citizen’s available financial support will be measured by their total household income and whether or not they have a stable income.

Why Would a K1 Visa be Denied?

Sometimes, applications for the K-1 Fiancé get rejected outright simply because the documents contain incorrect, incomplete, or inconsistent information. If there are any missing documents or incorrect paperwork in your application, you will receive a Request for Evidence (RFE). An RFE basically asks for more proof of your income or relationship validity.

Each RFE will delay the approval of your K-1 visa petition, and ultimately the approval and issuance of your K-1 fiancé visa. Sometimes, the delay will be 6-12 months or more. Having an K1 visa lawyer review your documents and guide you through the application process will reduce the possibility of rejections and delays.

What to Do If You Do Not Meet the Minimum Income Requirements

If you do not have the financial ability to meet the minimum K-1 visa income requirements, you have two options. These options are using the cash value of your assets and joint sponsorship.

Using Your Assets

If you have significant household assets, you can use the cash value of these assets to add to your income. However, the assets must be worth at least three times the difference between the income requirement and your actual household income. In other words, your assets must exceed the income requirement rather than just meet the minimum.

Can Someone Else Help Me Sponsor a K1 Fiancé Visa?

In some cases, you may jointly sponsor your foreign fiancé. A joint sponsor is someone who will accept legal responsibility for financially supporting the foreign fiancé. This means that your parents may also sponsor your fiancé to meet the income requirement. Joint sponsorship is especially useful for people who just graduated from college or are new to the job market.

A sponsor must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, or a U.S. permanent resident. They must also live in the U.S., U.S. territory, or U.S. possession. This can be virtually any person that would be willing to accept financial responsibility for an immigrant. The joint sponsor must be willing to prevent them from becoming a “public charge.”

According to the public charge rule, this means someone that needs U.S. governmental public assistance. However, in most cases, joint sponsors tend to be the parents of the main sponsor.

Most U.S. consulates and embassies allow for joining sponsorships for a K-1 fiancé visa application. The only exception is the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines.

How to File Your K-1 Visa Income Requirement Documents

Generally, the proof of income requirements must be submitted twice by the petitioning fiancé. They must first submit their income requirements during consular processing. This is the process of bringing the beneficiary from a foreign nation to the United States. The second submission will be during the K-1 adjustment of status process.

Do I Need an Affidavit of Support for a K-1 Visa?

Yes. There are two different affidavits of support that may be required of the petitioner. These are Form I-134 and Form I-864. We explain the differences between each below.