K1 Visa Duration of Validity Bangkok Embassy

[Koong and John 0]

I've read everywhere that the K1 visas are good for 6 months. For those who recently got theirs in BKK, was the duration 6 months from the date of issuance? We have the interview June 6 and need to plan for travel accordingly. Thanks!

[rin and john 71]

I've read everywhere that the K1 visas are good for 6 months. For those who recently got theirs in BKK, was the duration 6 months from the date of issuance? We have the interview June 6 and need to plan for travel accordingly. Thanks!

Rin's was actually a K3 which is multi-entry for two years, so I have not seen a K1 visa. A K1 is valid for a single entry and has to be used within six months.

This is from the State Department's manual:

"9 FAM 41.81 N6.3 Reissuance of K-1 Visa

(TL:VISA-2; 08-30-1987)

If a K-1 visa, valid for a single entry and a six-month period, has already been used for admission into the United States and the alien fiancé(e) has returned abroad prior to the marriage, the consular officer may issue a new K visa, provided that the period of validity does not exceed the 90th day after the date of initial admission of the alien on the original K visa and provided also that the petitioner and beneficiary still intend and are free to marry. The alien’s return to the United States and marriage to the petitioner must take place within 90 days from the date of the original admission into the United States in K status."

Website is here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/87391.pdf

The petition itself (the NOA2 approval at USCIS) is actually only valid for four months, but the consular officer can extend it:

"9 FAM 41.81 N6.2 Validity of a K-1 Petition

(TL:VISA-581; 09-03-2003)

An approved K-1 visa petition is valid for a period of four months from the date of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) action and may be revalidated by the consular officer any number of times for additional periods of four months from the date of revalidation, provided the officer concludes that the petitioner and the beneficiary remain legally free to marry and continue to intend to marry each other within 90 days after the beneficiary's admission into the United States. However, the longer the period of time since the filing of the petition, the more the consular officer must be concerned about the intentions of the couple, particularly the intentions of the petitioner in the United States. If the officer is not convinced that the U.S. citizen petitioner continues to intend to marry the

9 FAM 41.81 Notes Page 4 of 9

U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 9 - Visas

beneficiary, the petition should be returned to the approving office of DHS with an explanatory memorandum. (See 9 FAM 41.81 PN7 for revalidation procedure.)"

Hope this helps!

John