financial qualification for a k1 fiancé visa

[austin753 0]

My situation, i don't make 125% above the us poverty line, and I owe 25k in back taxes, I have filed my back taxes im getting on a tax payment plan, and i got a part time job to make the tax payments. We are planning on filing k1 fiancé this September (2025) , and I believe I can have a big chunk of my back taxes paid off by that time we finish through the whole waiting process which we believe will be September 2026 

 

I have a friend who will co sponsor with me, he makes 100k a year, self employed but he owes 1 years back taxes (2022).

We will be filing this September 2025 and believe we will be having the USCIS interview September 2026, from what I've read the USCIS agent only goes back 3 years for taxes. Even if the USCIS agent pulls the unpaid taxes and subtracts it from what he makes on the most recent tax filing, he'll still make 125% above US poverty level. 

 

I don't see any issues, does anyone see any potential problems I'm not seeing?

 

back story: I'm from the USA the male and my fiancé is from Kenya the female. we have been dating 2 years and ive visited her 3 times ( 3 months, 3 months, 1.5 months), most recent visit this last jan2024- feb 2025.  She's in university so we are trying to time the k1 fiancé visa approval with her graduation date. 

[hplusj 183]

20 hours ago, austin753 said:

We will be filing this September 2025 and believe we will be having the USCIS interview September 2026, from what I've read the USCIS agent only goes back 3 years for taxes.

 

She's in university so we are trying to time the k1 fiancé visa approval with her graduation date. 

I'll let others weigh in greatly on the tax situation (my only advice there is sort your own financial status, since you are looking long term work towards earning more on your own) but I want to advise you on this one thing: you cannot time this yourself, as hard as you want to try.  Legislation in immigration policy, world events, YOUR personal events, all of that can change the timeline.  You're not going to get a good sense of your timeline until you're actually in the moment of filing, and even then, this is a very nebulous process which is near impossible to predict.

 

Work on the now, get your financial status under control and continue to work on your relationship until graduation.

Edited 11 hours ago by hplusj

[alliejourney 74]

Obviously I don't know all of the details of your situation but as an outsider it seems to me that K1 might not be the best choice in your financial situation. Are you aware that when your fiance arrives in the US it could be several months before your fiance can work? You have to be prepared to financially support her while she waits for her green card, not to mention the expensive AOS phase after arrival. Instead, the spousal visa might be a better way to go. That way, when she arrives in the US, she will have a green card and the ability to work right away. Proving that you and a friend can sponsor her on a form is one thing; the reality of two people living on one part-time income and major debts is another.

[austin753 0]

2 hours ago, hplusj said:

I'll let others weigh in greatly on the tax situation (my only advice there is sort your own financial status, since you are looking long term work towards earning more on your own) but I want to advise you on this one thing: you cannot time this yourself, as hard as you want to try.  Legislation in immigration policy, world events, YOUR personal events, all of that can change the timeline.  You're not going to get a good sense of your timeline until you're actually in the moment of filing, and even then, this is a very nebulous process which is near impossible to predict.

 

Work on the now, get your financial status under control and continue to work on your relationship until graduation.

Thank you for the heads up, I understand and agree waiting and staying focused is the name of the game. I'll definitely sort my debts out before she gets here so atleats that'll distract me, haha. 

[austin753 0]

I should clarify that the part time job is strictly to pay off my taxes every month. I have a main job, I'm self employed, my main job will support us tell she can start working. 

[austin753 0]

15 minutes ago, alliejourney said:

Obviously I don't know all of the details of your situation but as an outsider it seems to me that K1 might not be the best choice in your financial situation. Are you aware that when your fiance arrives in the US it could be several months before your fiance can work? You have to be prepared to financially support her while she waits for her green card, not to mention the expensive AOS phase after arrival. Instead, the spousal visa might be a better way to go. That way, when she arrives in the US, she will have a green card and the ability to work right away. Proving that you and a friend can sponsor her on a form is one thing; the reality of two people living on one part-time income and major debts is another.

I should clarify that the part time job is strictly to pay off my taxes every month. I have a main job, I'm self employed, my main job will support the both of us tell she can start working.

[alliejourney 74]

3 minutes ago, austin753 said:

I should clarify that the part time job is strictly to pay off my taxes every month. I have a main job, I'm self employed, my main job will support the both of us tell she can start working.

Ah! That makes a lot more sense and hopefully can help others give you more advice, then! I was worried for you 😅 I see a lot of people on this forum get in over their heads with the finances associated with K1 so it made me nervous that you just said part time job at first.

Edited 8 hours ago by alliejourney