The K-2 visa: bringing your fiancé(e)’s children too
The K-2 visa lets the unmarried children under 21 of a K-1 fiancé(e) come to the United States with their parent — or follow within one year. Each child must be listed on the I-129F petition, and after the wedding they apply for green cards alongside the parent.
Who qualifies for a K-2
A K-2 visa is for the child of a K-1 fiancé(e) — not the child of the U.S. citizen petitioner. To qualify, the child must be unmarried and under 21 when the visa is issued and when they enter the United States. There is no separate petition for the child: the K-2 rides on the parent’s K-1 case, which is why one early paperwork step matters more than anything else.
Step one, and the step people miss: list the child on the I-129F
When the U.S. citizen files Form I-129F for the fiancé(e), every child who might ever come to the United States should be named on that form — even a child who plans to stay behind for now, even a child from a prior relationship the couple has not fully discussed. Listing a child costs nothing extra (the I-129F filing fee is $675 either way) and creates the option. Leaving a child off the form can mean starting over later with a different, slower process after the marriage.
At the consulate, each K-2 applicant files their own DS-160 ($265 per applicant) and attends the visa appointment, usually together with the parent. Budget for the $250 visa integrity fee that now applies to K visas as well — confirm the exact collection procedure at your consulate. As of March 30, 2026, K applicants are also asked to list five years of social media handles and set accounts to public for review, a rule that applies to teenage K-2 applicants with their own accounts too.
Travel timing: with the parent, or within one year
A K-2 child can travel with the K-1 parent or follow later — but the child must enter the United States within one year of the parent’s K-1 visa issuance, and always after or with the parent, never before. The one-year window is useful for families finishing a school year or waiting on a custody order from the other biological parent, which many consulates ask to see. If the window is going to close before the child can travel, talk to an attorney before it does; the fixes after it closes are far more limited.
After the wedding: the child adjusts with the parent
Once the parent marries the petitioner within the 90-day window, the parent files for a green card through adjustment of status after the K-1 — and each K-2 child files their own I-485 at the same time. No new petition is needed for the child; the K-2 admission is the basis. The child’s I-485 fee is $1,440, or $950 for a child under 14 filing together with the parent. Each applicant needs their own I-693 medical exam, and under current USCIS policy the exam is only valid while the application is pending, so we time it with the filing.
What a K-2 case costs
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I-129F petition (one per couple) | $675 | Children listed at no extra charge |
| DS-160 visa application | $265 | Per applicant — parent and each child |
| Visa integrity fee (K visas) | $250 | Confirm at your consulate |
| I-485 adjustment, per child | $1,440 / $950 | $950 if under 14 and filing with the parent |
USCIS accepts electronic payment only (since October 28, 2025). Our flat attorney fees are separate and quoted up front — see pricing. The I-129F itself has been running roughly 11.5 months as of July 2026; check current processing times, since they move.
Name every child
List each child on the I-129F from the start, whether or not they plan to travel. It preserves the option and costs nothing extra.
Mind the one-year window
A K-2 can follow the parent, but only within a year of the K-1 issuance — and never ahead of the parent.
File together after the wedding
Parent and child file their I-485s as a package. Filing the child’s promptly protects against age-out problems.
Common questions
Can a K-2 child come to the U.S. before the K-1 parent?
No. The child must enter with the parent or after the parent, within one year of the parent’s K-1 visa issuance. Traveling ahead of the parent is not permitted on a K-2.
We forgot to list my fiancée’s son on the I-129F. Can we add him now?
Sometimes, depending on where the case sits — a child omitted from the petition may still be documented before visa issuance in some situations, but it is consulate-dependent and time-sensitive. Call an attorney promptly rather than waiting for the interview.
Does a K-2 child need a separate petition for the green card?
No. After the parent marries the petitioner, the child files an I-485 based on the K-2 admission, alongside the parent’s application. No I-130 is required for the child in this path.
Can a K-2 child work or attend school?
School, yes. Work requires an employment authorization document; most families include an I-765 ($260 when filed with the I-485) in the child’s adjustment package if the child is old enough to work.
What happens if the child turns 21 before the green card is approved?
This is exactly the scenario that needs attorney review before it happens. Turning 21 at the wrong moment can end K-2 adjustment eligibility, and the protective rules that help other categories do not map cleanly onto K-2 cases. If the child is close to 21, get the dates reviewed now.
What if the marriage does not happen within 90 days?
The K-2 child’s status depends entirely on the parent’s. If the K-1 marriage does not occur within 90 days, both parent and child are expected to depart, and neither can adjust through a different marriage on this entry. See our K-1 vs. CR-1 comparison if you are still choosing a path.
Bringing children into a fiancé(e) case? Get the dates right first.
We handle K-1 and K-2 cases as one family plan — flat fees, in English, Russian, or Spanish.