I-129F

What is Form I-129F?

The purpose of this petition is to alert U.S. immigration authorities that the U.S. citizen fiancé is planning to marry the immigrant fiancé and is willing to participate in the visa application process. This form is used to bring the U.S. citizen’s fiancé(e) (K-1) and that person’s children (K-2) to the U.S. for marriage, or to bring the U.S. citizen’s spouse (K-3) and that person’s children (K-4) to the U.S. to apply for lawful permanent resident status.

Who May File Form I-129F?

You may file this petition if you are a U.S. citizen and:

1. You and your fiancé(e):

a. Are legally free to marry and intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e)’s stay in the United States; and

b. Have met each other in person within the two years immediately before you filed this petition, unless you establish that either:

i. The requirement to meet your fiancé(e) in person would violate strict and long-established customs of your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice, and that any and all aspects of the traditional arrangements have been or will be met in accordance with the custom or practice; or

ii. The requirement to meet your fiancé(e) in person would result in extreme hardship to you; or

2. You have filed or are filing Form I-130 on behalf of your spouse and wish to have your spouse enter as a nonimmigrant to await the immediate availability of an immigrant visa and to file for adjustment of status.

How to fill out Form I-129F?

Reminder:

• Know your forms. Form I-129F is the proper one to use for a fiancé visa petition. There is another U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form called simply I-129, without the letter F. It is completely different.
• Type or print legibly in black ink.
• If you need extra space to complete any item within this petition, use the space provided in Part 8. Additional Information or attach a separate sheet of paper.

Form I-129F asks first for information about the U.S. citizen half of the couple (the "petitioner") then asks for information about the immigrating fiancé.

Part 1. Information About You

Item Number 1: Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if any).

• It is an eight- or nine-digit number following the letter “A” (for “Alien”) that USCIS assigns to people who applied for permanent or in some cases temporary residence or have been in deportation/removal proceedings.
• It is used to identify immigration records.

Item Number 2: USCIS Online Account Number (if any).

• You can find your USCIS Online Account Number by logging in to your account and going to the profile page.
• If you previously filed certain applications, petitions, or requests on a paper form via a USCIS Lockbox facility, you may have received a USCIS Online Account Access Notice issuing you a USCIS Online Account Number

Item Number 3: U.S. Social Security Number (if any).

• Provide your U.S. Social Security Number.

Item Numbers 4a – 5: Classification Requested.

• Select the box that indicates whether you are filing for your fiancé(e) or your spouse.
• If you are filing for your spouse, indicate whether you have filed Form I-130 on that beneficiary’s behalf. You must include evidence that you filed Form I-130.

Item Number 6a – c: Your Full Name.

• Provide your full legal name.
• Always spell out the entire middle name.

Item Numbers 7a – 7c: Other Names Used.

• Provide any other names you have used including your aliases, maiden name, and nicknames.

Item Numbers 8a – 8j: Your Mailing Address.

• Provide the address where you would like to receive written correspondence regarding this petition.
• Indicate whether your mailing address is the same as the place you reside (physical address).

Item Numbers 9a – 12b: Your Address History.

• Provide the addresses for the places you have resided over the last five years.

Item Numbers 13 – 20b: Your Employment History.

• Provide the names and addresses of your employers, your occupations, and the dates of employment for the jobs you have held over the last five years.
• Provide your current employment first.

Item Number 21: Gender.

• Indicate whether you are male or female.

Item Number 22: Date of Birth.

• Provide your date of birth in mm/dd/yyyy format.

Item Number 23: Marital Status.

• Indicate your current marital status.

Item Numbers 24 – 26: Place of Birth.

• Provide the name of the city or town, province or state, and country where you were born.

Item Numbers 27a – 36b: Information About Your Parents.

• Provide each of your parents’ full names, dates of birth, places of birth, and current cities/town/villages and countries of residence.

Item Numbers 37 – 39: Name of Previous Spouse.

• Indicate whether you have been previously married. If you answered “Yes,” provide the full names of each previous spouse and the date that each marriage ended.

Item Numbers 40a – 42c: Your Citizenship Information.

• Select the box that describes how you obtained your U.S. citizenship.
• Indicate whether you obtained a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship and provide the date and place the document was issued.

Item Numbers 43 – 47: Previous Filings.

• Indicate whether you have ever filed another Form I-129F for any other spouse or fiancé(e).
  • If you respond “Yes,” provide that person’s full name and the person’s A-Number (if any).
• Provide the date you filed the petition and the final action taken (for example, petition approved, denied, revoked, or withdrawn).
  • If you have filed for more than one previous spouse or fiancé(e), use Part 8. Additional Information to respond to these questions for each beneficiary.

Item Numbers 48 – 49b: Ages of Children.

• Indicate whether you have any children under 18 years of age.
  • If you answered “Yes,” provide the age for each of your children under 18 years of age. If you need extra space to complete this section, use the space provided in Part 8. Additional Information

Item Numbers 50a – 51b: Places You Have Resided.

• Provide all of the U.S. states and foreign countries in which you have resided since you reached 18 years of age.
• USCIS wants to know where, outside your current state of residence, it might find records on you.

Part 2. Information About Your Beneficiary

Now the form turns to questions about the foreign-born fiancé.

Item Numbers 1a – 1c: Your Beneficiary’s Full Name.

• Provide your beneficiary’s full legal name.

Item Number 2: A-Number (if any).

• Provide your beneficiary’s A-Number. Your beneficiary may have an A-Number which is used to identify his or her immigration records.
• Your beneficiary can find this number on documents he or she received from USCIS, ICE, CBP, EOIR, or DOS.

Item Number 3: U.S. Social Security Number (if any).

• Provide your beneficiary’s U.S. Social Security Number.

Item Number 4: Date of Birth.

• Provide your beneficiary’s date of birth in mm/dd/yyyy format.

Item Number 5: Gender.

• Indicate whether your beneficiary is male or female.

Item Number 6: Marital Status.

• Indicate your beneficiary’s current marital status.

Item Numbers 7 – 9: Place of Birth.

• Provide the name of the city or town and country where your beneficiary was born.

Item Numbers 10a – 10c: Other Names Used.

• Provide any other names your beneficiary may have used including their aliases, maiden name, and nicknames.
• If the foreign-born fiancé has had other names by previous marriages, include these here, as well as any legal name changes or even nicknames.

Item Numbers 11a – 11i: Mailing Address for Your Beneficiary.

• Provide your beneficiary’s current mailing address.
• Provide the mailing address in the United States if he or she has one.

Item Numbers 12a – 15b: Your Beneficiary’s Address History.

• Provide the addresses for the places your beneficiary has resided over the last five years.

Item Numbers 16 - 23b: Your Beneficiary’s Employment History.

• Provide the names and addresses of your beneficiary’s employers, occupations, and the dates of employment for the jobs your beneficiary has held over the last five years.

Item Number 24a – 33b: Information About Your Beneficiary’s Parents.

• Provide each of your beneficiary’s parents’ full names, dates of birth, places of birth, and current cities and countries of residence.

Item Numbers 34 – 36: Name of Previous Spouse.

• Indicate whether your beneficiary has ever been previously married. If you answered “Yes,” provide the full name of your beneficiary’s previous spouse and the date that each marriage ended.
• This question is asked to determine the eligibility requirement that previous marriages must have ended through valid means such as divorce or death.

Item Numbers 37 – 38h: Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record.

• Select the box to indicate whether your beneficiary has ever been in the United States. Provide the date of your beneficiary’s most recent entry in the United States, his or her I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Number, if available, and his or her immigration status at the time of arrival (for example, student, tourist, temporary worker, without inspection).
• Provide the expiration date and identification numbers on the I-94 or I-95 Arrival-Departure Records, travel documents, and or passports.
• See the What Evidence Should You Submit section of these Instructions for additional information.

Item Numbers 39 – 44h: Children of Beneficiary.

• Indicate whether your beneficiary has any children.
• If you answered “Yes,” provide information about each child of your beneficiary.
  • Include the child’s full name, country of birth, and date of birth.
  • If the child resides at a different address than your beneficiary, provide the address where the child currently resides.
• If your beneficiary has more than one child, use Part 8. Additional Information to respond to Item Numbers 40.a. - 44.h. for each child.

Item Numbers 45a – 46: Address in the United States Where Your Beneficiary Intends to Live.

• Provide the address and daytime telephone number where your beneficiary intends to live when he/she arrives in the United States.

Item Numbers 47a – 48: Your Beneficiary’s Physical Address Abroad.

• Provide the address and daytime telephone number where your beneficiary currently resides abroad.

Item Numbers 49a – 50f: Your Beneficiary’s Name and Address in His or Her Native Alphabet.

• If your beneficiary’s native alphabet does not use Roman letters, provide his or her name and physical address abroad in the native alphabet.
• Otherwise, skip to the next question (Item Number 51.).

Item Numbers 51 – 52: Is Your Beneficiary Related to You?

• Indicate whether you and your beneficiary have a familial relationship and if so, describe the nature and degree of relationship (for example, second cousins, maternal aunt or uncle).
• Select “N/A” if the beneficiary is your spouse.

Item Numbers 53 – 54: Have you and your fiancé(e) met in person during the two years immediately before filing this petition?

• Indicate whether you and your fiancé(e) have seen each other in person during the two year period immediately before filing your petition.
  • Select “N/A” if the beneficiary is your spouse.
• If you respond “Yes” to Item Number 53., use Item Number 54. to describe the circumstances of your in-person meeting. Attach evidence to demonstrate that you were in each other’s physical presence during the required two year period.
• If you respond “No” to Item Number 53., explain in detail any reasons you may have for requesting an exemption from the requirement that you and your fiancé(e) must have met in person during the two years immediately before filing this petition in Item Number 54.
  • Select “N/A” in Item Number 53. if the beneficiary is your spouse.

Item Numbers 55 – 61: International Marriage Broker (IMB) Information.

• Indicate whether you met your beneficiary through the service of an IMB. If you respond “Yes,” provide the IMB’s name, organization name, website, mailing address, and daytime telephone number.

Item Numbers 62a – 62b: U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate Requested.

• Provide the city or town and country of the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate where your beneficiary will apply for his or her visa.

Part 3. Other Information

Now the questions once again refer to the U.S. citizen petitioner.

Item Numbers 1 – 3: Criminal Information.

• Indicate whether you have ever been the subject of a temporary or permanent protection order or restraining order related to any of the crimes specified below, or arrested, or convicted of any of the crimes specified below.
• If you were ever arrested or convicted of any of the specified crimes, you must submit certified copies of all court and police records showing the charges and disposition for every arrest or conviction.

Item Number 4a: Criminal Information.

• Indicate whether you have ever been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined, or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance in any country, for any offenses other than those you have already outlined in the previous section.

Item Number 4b: Criminal History Documents.

• If you indicated “Yes” in Item Number 4.a., provide information that explains the circumstances, places, dates, and outcomes for each incident of arrest, citation, charge, indictment, conviction, fine, or imprisonment.
• You must submit court certified copies of the arrest record and/or disposition for each incident unless you submit a certified statement from the court indicating that no record exists of your arrest, citation, charge, indictment, conviction, fine, or imprisonment.

Item Number 5a – d: Waivers

• Indicate which waiver you are requesting by choosing the appropriate box.

Part 4. Biographic Information

Item Numbers 1 – 2: Ethnicity and Race.

• Select the boxes that best describe your ethnicity and race.

Item Number 3: Height.

• Select the values that best match your height in feet and inches. For example, if you are five feet and nine inches, select “5” for feet and “09” for inches.

Item Number 4: Weight.

• Enter your weight in pounds. If you do not know your weight or need to enter a weight under 30 pounds or over 699 pounds, enter “000.”

Item Number 5: Eye Color.

• Select the box that best describes the color of your eyes.

Item Number 6: Hair Color.

• Select the box that best describes the color of your hair.

Part 5. Petitioner’s Statement, Contact Information, Declaration, Certification, and Signature

Item Numbers 1a - 6b:

• Select the appropriate box to indicate whether you read this petition yourself or whether you had an interpreter assist you.
• Sign and date your petition and provide your daytime telephone number, mobile telephone number (if any), and email address (if any).

Part 6. Interpreter’s Contact Information, Certification, and Signature

Item Numbers 1a – 7b:

• If you used anyone as an interpreter, the interpreter must fill out this section; provide his or her name, the name and address of his or her business or organization (if any), his or her daytime telephone number, his or her mobile telephone number (if any), and his or her email address (if any).
• The interpreter must sign and date the petition.

Part 7. Contact Information, Declaration, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Petition, if Other Than the Petitioner

Item Numbers 1a - 8b:

This section must contain the signature of the person who completed your petition, if other than you, the petitioner. If the same individual acted as your interpreter and your preparer, that person should complete both Part 6. and Part 7.

Part 8. Additional Information

Item Numbers 1a - 7d:

• If you need extra space to provide any additional information within this petition, use the space provided in Part 8. Additional Information. If you need more space than what is provided in Part 8., you may make copies of Part 8. to complete and file with your petition, or attach a separate sheet of paper. Type or print your name and A-Number (if any) at the top of each sheet; indicate the Page Number, Part Number, and Item Number to which your answer refers; and sign and date each sheet.

Where to file Form I-129F?

The filing fee for Form I-129F is $535. The filing fee is not refundable, regardless of any action USCIS takes on this petition. File Form I-129F at the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility.