My American babe just proposed marriage, what do I do?

MENTION romance and many people often think of Valentine’s Day, florist shops filled with pink and red flowers, and a never-ending display of heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. At the United States Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, though, romance is in the air year-round as we regularly get new shipments of pink folders — approved petitions for Jamaicans excited to get their K-1 visa and travel to the US to get married. The K-1 non-immigrant visa permits a foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a US citizen to travel to the United States, finalise wedding plans, and marry their fiancé(e) — all within 90 days of arrival.

Once the couple marries, the new foreign-citizen spouse can adjust status to become a lawful permanent resident (better known as a green card holder). Then, after your second wedding anniversary, you will need to apply to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to remove the conditional status on your green card or you could lose your status in the United States. To qualify for a K-1 visa, you cannot be married.

In fact, you must provide divorce decrees or death certificates for all previous marriages. Some applicants in the past submitted a Certificate of No Impediment, but it is not required. Another key component of the K-1 visa is that you must legally marry your US fiancé(e) within 90 days of arrival to the United States.

Often applicants have children that they want to live with them in the United States as a new blended family. K-1 visa applicants may add their children onto their case — regardless of whether the children are shared with the person they intend to marry or are from a previous relationship — as long as the children are unmarried and younger than 21 years old. One of the most important requirements that the officer needs to verify during the visa interview is proof of the relationship.

This can come in the form of photos, text messages, co-signed lease agreements, or shared bank accounts. Our consular officers also really enjoy hearing the modern-day love stories — how you and your betrothed met and fell in love — during the interview and looking at your photos together on social media (so make sure you set your online accounts to public before the interview). Less romantic visa requirements, but equally important, are a police certificate, and successful medical exam.

It’s important to remember that entering a relationship for…