I-129F document checklist and cover letter sample (2026)

Use your packet to show how you meet each requirement. For help choosing a route, see I-130 vs. K-1 fiancé visa. Immiva’s K-1 preparation tool turns your answers into the petition and a document list. Use this guide to check the documents you attach.

I-129F document checklist: core evidence

Use this list to gather your documents, and keep it for your own reference. USCIS says not to submit its optional checklist. Send legible copies unless the instructions specifically request originals. Which I-129F documents you need depends on your answers, including those about previous marriages and criminal history. USCIS checklist

The accepted edition was 01/20/25 on November 2, 2026. USCIS warns that missing pages, mixed editions, and an unsigned form can cause rejection. Recheck the official form page before printing.

To identify the number on your records, see what an A-Number is.

Follow Part 3 of the instructions when answering criminal-history questions. Some answers require certified court records even when a record was sealed or expunged. A dismissal does not necessarily remove the disclosure requirement. I-129F instructions, Part 3

K-1 additions: meeting and marriage intent

Provide evidence that you met in person during the two years immediately before filing and that both of you intend to marry within 90 days of the beneficiary’s K-1 admission. Signed statements can establish mutual intent. I-129F instructions, evidence item 8

To document your meeting, include a short account of when and where you met, along with travel records and dated photos. A passport entry stamp, boarding pass, and photo can together connect the trip to the meeting. A flight reservation alone does not show that you traveled. USCIS lists statements, airline tickets, and passport pages among possible evidence. I-129F instructions

Keep relationship context separate from meeting proof. Messages can explain your relationship, but they do not show that you were physically together. If you have not met, you need evidence supporting the extreme-hardship or strict-cultural-custom exception. Prior petitions can also trigger an IMBRA waiver: the two-year trigger runs from the filing date of a previously approved petition. Instructions, Parts 2 and 3

See when to hire a K-1 visa lawyer if you need advice about your circumstances.

K-3 additions: marriage and I-130 evidence

For a spouse, add the civil marriage certificate and, unless you are filing the forms concurrently, the I-797C showing you filed I-130 for that spouse. Do not use a fiancé’s promise-to-marry letter for an existing marriage. USCIS K-3 evidence checklist

The K-3 I-129F fee is $0 when based on the I-130 you filed; the general K-1 filing fee is $675. These fees cover the petition only. Other visa costs are separate. Current USCIS fee schedule

Keep your I-130 supporting documents organized separately. For the broader spouse route, see I-130 for a spouse.

Letter of intent to marry: copyable sample

Each of you can adapt and sign the following statement. It should truthfully state your intent to marry each other within the required period. USCIS accepts signed statements or other evidence establishing mutual intent. This sample is not a government form. I-129F instructions, item 8.A

Each person should sign a separate statement. Check that the names match the petition, and include evidence that any prior marriages have ended, where applicable. For what comes after approval, see I-129F approved: next steps.

I-129F cover letter sample

A cover letter helps USCIS find the documents in your packet. It is optional: USCIS does not include it in the required-evidence list, and it cannot replace that evidence. Make sure the exhibit list matches the documents you enclose. USCIS evidence checklist

Delete entries that do not apply to you. For K-3, change the classification and replace the paragraph about meeting and marriage intent with the facts of your marriage and I-130 filing. List the certificate and receipt, and remove the I-129F payment authorization. Verify the amount against the USCIS fee schedule. Only include a waiver claim if it applies to your case.

Translations, payment, and packet assembly

For each foreign-language document, include a full English translation and a certification that it is accurate and complete and that the translator is competent to translate. USCIS translation rule Our certified translation guide gives more detail. Photos must be 2 by 2 inches; lightly write the person’s name and A-Number, if any, on the back. Photo instructions, item 5

For a fee-paying petition, use G-1450 for a card or G-1650 for a U.S. bank ACH payment. You need a qualifying exemption to make a paper payment. Do not enclose a check just because an old sample includes one. USCIS filing fees See how to pay USCIS filing fees.

Suggested packet order:

1. Put the applicable payment authorization at the front.
2. Add optional G-1145 for acceptance notifications.
3. Add the cover letter and signed petition.
4. Group evidence in the same order as your exhibit list.
5. Save a complete copy before mailing.

This order is a suggestion for organizing your packet. USCIS directs filers to clip G-1145 to the form’s first page. Official filing guidance

Immiva’s packet preparation process provides a supporting-document checklist and filing instructions to help you check that your attachments match your answers.

Before you mail

Compare this I-129F document checklist with your answers on the form. Check your signatures, form edition, photos, translations, payment, and evidence for your classification. Make sure the cover letter lists what is in your packet. Keep a copy and recheck the official USCIS requirements on filing day.