Fiancee Visa Costs

What does a fiancee visa cost? Plenty, in cash, time and high anxiety dealing with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services paperwork, procedures and processing delays. When considering traveling to Moscow or Kiev or wherever to meet your one and only, be advised that the fiancee visa process isn't cheap and your fiancee assimilation into American society is not without its costs.

If you are considering bringing your Russian, Ukrainian or another non US Resident friend to America you should know about ALL of the costs involved. However, as the Mastercard commercial says after enumerating the costs, finding your one and only true love, bringing him or her to America and getting the precious Green Card is priceless.

Here are the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) application fees to get your wife through the fiancee visa process from filing the fiancee visa application to obtaining the green card

1. 1) $170 After proposing marriage, file US Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-129-F, application for fiancee visa.
2. $325 plus $70 biometrics services fee to file form I-485 after wedding in America. This will adjust your wife's temporary status to permanent status
3. $180 I-765 Application for Employment Authorization. This is issued for 12 months only so you may need two if your wife has not obtained her Green Card by the time that your first Work permit has expired.
4. $205 I-751 Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence. If your wife receives her Green card before you have been married for two years she will need to file Form I-751 to receive a permanent Green Card.

Here are the non-fee costs to bring your fiancee to America and to assimilate her into our way of life:

$750-1,000+/- Travel to visit special alien person in her native country, including round trip airfare, hotel rooms (separate rooms of course!), meals, transportation and entertainment. If traveling to Ukraine be advised they often don't have US dollars at the airport to convert your Ukrainian currency.

$2,000 +/- Fee to hire a fiancee visa attorney to help with and expedite the US Citizenship and Immigration Services paperwork.

$750-1,000 Round trip ticket for fiancee (it's cheaper than a one way ticket, go figure) to come to America. Send foreign fiancee cash to pay for her medical exam and two nights hotel bill in city where she will have her fiancee visa interview. Could be more if you chose to attend the interview as I did in Warsaw.

$200-400 Cost of health insurance for fiancee for period of her arrival in America until she is covered by your medical insurance program.

$100 +/- Open up checking account for fiancee when she arrives in US so she can apply for learners permit which precedes the drivers' license. Get learners permit application and booklet for fiancee to study.

$400 Cost of driving lessons. Yes people, your fiancee may not have ever driven a car in her life. This is optional, but if giving the lessons yourself, be patient.

$5,000-25,000 Cost of vehicle for new spouse. And don’t forget about the insurance.

$5,000-Infinity Cost of wedding dress and new wardrobe. Eastern European clothing styles may clash with American styles

$1,000-10,000 +/- Cost of engagement diamond and wedding ring

$2,000 to infinity+/- Cost of wedding, honeymoon and bridal showers or engagement receptions

Whoever said "love ain't cheap" must have had fiancee visa applicants in mind. The bottom line is if you want to bring an alien to America you better have cash because the USCIS doesn't accept credit cards!