How Many K1 Visas Are Registered In The Us In In One Year?

Executive Summary

RapidVisa has commissioned Causal Pattern, an contained research business firm based in Washington D.C., to choose through multiple datasets—both those provided by the U.Southward. Government as well as our own proprietary information—to examine statistics and trends of K-1 fiancé visa applications. The Grand-one fiancé visa is a nonimmigrant visa issued to an alien who wishes to enter the U.S. for the purpose of matrimony to a U.Due south. citizen. More specifically, nosotros examine both macro application trends and more granular statistics related to destinations, occupations and demographics of applicants and sponsors. Several interesting trends emerge as vestiges of the visa'due south origins. More broadly, this study is intended to shed light on a topic that is oft misunderstood and poorly reported.

What's Included in This Report:

Executive Summary
Central Findings
The K-1 Visa: A Brief Groundwork
1. What is a One thousand-blazon visa?
2. Fiancé & Spousal Visa Types
3. Why do Grand-ane visas exist?
The K-1 Visa: In Perspective
1. Nonimmigrant Visa Admissions past Type, 2017
2. Permanent Visa Admissions by Type, 2017
3. Annual Thou-1 Visas Compared to Sport Stadium Daily Attendance, 2017
The K-1 Visa: Trends in Annual Entries
1. Annual Spousal and Fiancé Visas (Immigrant and Nonimmigrant), 2005-2017
2. I-129F Approvals and Denials by Quarter, 2015-2019
The K-Visa: Where from? Where to?
1. One thousand-one Visa Admission past Country of Citizenship, 2017
2. Thousand-1 Visa Admissions by Country of Citizenship, 2005-2017 (i)
3. One thousand-i Visa Admissions past Land of Citizenship, 2005-2017 (2)
4. K-1 Visa Admissions by Destination Land, 2017
5. Chiliad-i Visa Admissions (per 100,000) by Destination Country, 2017
The Thou-i Visa: Who?
1. Age Distribution of RapidVisa Sponsors and Applicants, 2014-2018
2. All M-one Visa Admissions by Region, 2017
3. RapidVisa Grand-one Visa Applicants by Region, 2014-2018
4. RapidVisa Chiliad-1 Visa Sponsor Occupations, 2014-2018
5. RapidVisa Yard-1 Visa Applicant Occupations, 2014-2018
6. Income Distribution of RapidVisa Sponsors, 2014-2018
Conclusion
Methodology & Sources
1. Chief Data Sources
Acknowledgements

Key Findings

The Grand-1 Visa is an important span to immigrant status for fiancés of U.S. citizens
Almanac K-1 entries into the United States are lower than the daily boilerplate attendance at a New York Yankees baseball game
Filipinos make up a large and growing portion of K-1 visa entrants
Near G-1 entrants get to populous U.S. states like California, Florida, New York and Texas
Washington, D.C., Alaska and Hawaii receive the most One thousand-i entrants per capita
The average K-1 sponsor is a white male in his early 40s¹
The boilerplate K-ane applicant is a woman in her late 20s²
K-3 visa issuances have been finer eliminated
During the Trump Presidency, denials have slightly increased, approvals have slightly decreased, and pending cases have skyrocketed

The K-one Visa: A Brief Background

What is a Grand-blazon visa?

K-type visas are nonimmigrant visas for strange fiancés and spouses (and children) of U.Due south. citizens who wish to enter the United States while waiting on immigrant application adjudication. Thousand-type visa designees are distinguished by law as nonimmigrants who intend to permanently immigrate.³ At that place are currently 4 K-type visas.⁴ The Chiliad-one and K-2 type visas are targeted toward foreign fiancés (i.due east. not yet married) of U.S. citizens and their minor children, while the 1000-3 and K-4 type visas are meant to suit foreign spouses (already married) and children of spouses currently living away.⁵

The M-1, or "fiancé visa," allows the hereafter spouses of U.S. citizens to enter the The states in order to marry and ultimately apply for and adjustment to immigrant status.⁶ The Thou-1 limits couples to 90 days, within which they must go married and file the paperwork for aligning of status.⁷ In practice, the K-1 serves as a nonimmigrant visa bridge to permanent spousal immigration condition. In fact, the K-1 visa is listed on the State Department website in the immigrant visa section, just beneath IR-one and CR-1 spousal immigrant visa types.⁸ The IR-1 immigrant visa is only applicable to foreign spouses who take been married to a U.Southward. denizen or permanent resident for more than 2 years, while the CR-i visa applies to strange spouses who have been married to a U.S. citizens less than 2 years.

Fiancé & Spousal Visa Types

Category	Type	Qualifications	Length
Nonimmigrant Visa (with intent to emigrate)	1000-1	Fiancé(due east)s of U.S. citizens	xc days
	K-2	Minor child of K-1	ninety days
	K-3	Spouse of U.Southward. citizen (under LIFE Act provision)	2 years
	K-four	Child of One thousand-3	2 years
Immigrant Visa	IR-1	Spouse of a U.S. denizen or legal permanent resident (married ii+ years)	10 years
Immigrant Visa	CR-1	Spouse of a U.Due south. denizen or legal permanent resident (married for < 2 years)	2 years

Why do 1000-1 visas exist?

K-type visas were created to eliminate unnecessary family unit separations resulting from delays in immigrant visa arbitrament for foreign fiancés and/or spouses (and family members of fiancés or spouses).⁹ The impetus to write the K-1 (and G-ii) visas into police can be traced to 2 primal factors related to globalization and the free move of people. First, there became a growing need to adjust immigration law to facilitate U.Due south. soldiers trying to bring their foreign-born fiancés into the United States. Second, U.S. citizens were increasingly working, studying, and travelling abroad, which meant that an increasing number of Americans were also meeting, dating and intending to marry non-U.S. citizens.

Japanese war brides – Many American soldiers returned from WWII with wives who eventually alloyed into American culture.

The precedent for fiancé clearing was set after World War Ii, when temporary laws permitted U.S. soldiers to bring fiancés into the U.South. Only past the belatedly 1960s, those laws were long expired and an increasing number of U.S. Vietnam war soldiers were finding it difficult to return home with their strange-born fiancés and spouses. Because at that place was no provision in clearing law for fiancés of U.S. citizens to enter the United states to marry, soldiers had to file for matrimony in both Vietnam and the U.S., and were often unable to effectively fulfill the requirements of both.¹⁰

Additionally, there existed a need to provide an avenue for the increasing number of non-military individuals who also wanted to marry foreign-built-in spouses. From the 1960s onwards, globalization, and the international mobility that accompanied information technology, drove an increase in the number of U.S. citizens marrying (and intending to marry) non-U.S. citizens.¹¹ However, the same issues that made it difficult for soldiers to legally return to the U.Southward. with foreign fiancés or spouses caused unnecessary delays and family separations.

The K-1 Visa: In Perspective

1000-1 visas make up a small-scale portion of annual nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. In 2017, M-i visa admissions accounted for less than .05 percent of all nonimmigrant admissions into the U.s.. B-type visas, which provide temporary entry for business concern and tourism, brand up the vast majority of almanac nonimmigrant visa admissions.

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In 2017, Yard-1 visas made upward about 6 percent of all new inflow immigrant visas.¹³ IR-type visas, which are family unit-based, make up the bulk of annual new arrival immigrant visas. Further, immigrant spousal visas (IR-1 and CR-1) saw significantly more than new entries than the 1000-1.

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Total annual K-i visa grantees would not fill nearly major sports stadiums. The total annual admissions of all new K-1 visa holders in 2017 (35,000) was just below the average daily attendance of a New York Yankees baseball (39,400) in the same year. In fact, yearly admissions of G-1 visa holders has been well below the average single game attendance at Yankee stadium for every year since 2006.

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The K-1 Visa: Trends in Almanac Entries

The overall trend in Yard-1 visas has remained remarkably consequent over the past 12 years. Annual K-1 visa admissions ranged from a low of 24,000 in 2011 to a high of 37,000 in 2016. There has been some variation from twelvemonth to twelvemonth, merely the number of K-1 visas issued in 2017 (35,000) was but slightly higher than the number issued in 2005 (just under 33,000). Meanwhile, immigrant spousal visas (such as the IR-1 and CR-1) increased significantly. The yearly number of CR-ane visas issued rose by 58 pct compared to 2005. The IR-ane visa saw a 200 pct increase in issuances compared to 2005. Betwixt 2015 and 2017, the IR-1 issuances have averaged 76,000 per year, which is more three times the number of issuances in 2005.

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Some of the increase in IR-i and CR-ane visas may be attributed to the phasing out of the K-3 visa. Starting in 2010, the K-3 was substantially eliminated as an option and many of those who would take previously applied for the Thou-three may now be applying for CR-i visas. Nonetheless, given the size of the fasten, the elimination of the G-3 is unlikely to exist the only driver of increment in IR-1 visas.

I-129F data shows a subtract in Thou-i issuances and a backlog surge during the Trump Presidency. USCIS quarterly information on the I-129F petition¹⁴ shows that approvals were down in 2017 and 2018 (compared to the previous ii years). In 2015 and 2016, an average of 49,000 I-129F petitions were canonical. In 2017 and 2018 an average of 34,000 petitions were approved. I-129F denials increased—from an average of seven,400 in 2015 and 2016 to 9,300 in 2017 and 2018—just the lion's share of the decline in approvals tin can be traced to an increase in awaiting petitions. In 2015, the average number of pending petitions (past quarter) was 18,000, but in 2018 that number skyrocketed to 29,000.

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The K-Visa: Where from? Where to?

The majority of K-1 visa holders are from 1) East and Southeast Asia (particularly the Philippines) and ii) shut neighbors to the north and southward. The bulk of Yard-1 Visa holders go to our most populous states: California, Florida, Texas and New York. Filipino One thousand-one visas dwarf every other nationality. In 2017, Filipino citizens deemed for almost vii,000 of the 35,000 K-1 entrants. In fact, Filipino citizens acquired more Thou-i visas in 2017 than the rest of the superlative v countries combined.

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Peak 20 Countries for K-one Visa Issuances, 2017

The number and share of Filipino K-1 visas grew rapidly since 2005. Almost ii,500 more Filipino citizens entered the U.s.a. in 2017 than in 2005, which represents a 63 percentage increase over the by 12 years. In 2005, the Filipinos accounted for fifteen per centum of all K-1 visas; In 2017, Filipinos accounted for more than 20 pct of all K-1 visas.

Citizens of large Due east European and East Asian countries saw declines in K-ane visas. Communist china, Russian federation, and Ukraine all saw significant declines in One thousand-1 visas since 2005. Vietnamese and Chinese citizens accounted for 11 and vii percentage of K-1 visas in 2005, just now but account for 5 and 3 per centum, respectively.

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Western Hemisphere neighbors (and the UK) saw notable increases in K-ane visas. Brazil, Haiti and the Dominican Republic in particular, registered increases in volume of K-1 visas over the past 12 years. In fact, the Dominican Republic nearly doubled its new M-1 visa holders between 2005 and 2017 and now stands as the 3rd highest K-one country of citizenship for 1000-1 visas. United mexican states and the Great britain also saw slight increases since 2005.

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California, Florida, New York and Texas are the most common destinations for Chiliad-1s. Unsurprisingly, near K-1 entrants become to the states where most Americans live. In 2017, over fifteen,000 - or 43 percent - of the 35,000 K-one entrants went to one of those four states.

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Top five Destination States for Thousand-1 Visa Recipients, 2017

Rank	Country	Admits (2017)
i	California	6,312
two	New York	3,244
3	Florida	3,144
4	Texas	2,671
5	Washington	1,367

Still, Washington, D.C., Alaska and Hawaii receive the most K-one entrants per capita. In 2017, Washington D.C. and Hawaii saw 32 and xxx new K-1 entrants per 100,000 residents, respectively, while Alaska saw about 21 per 100,000 residents. Washington, Nevada and Massachusetts too saw relatively high proportions of K-1 recipients in 2017.

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Top 5 Destination States for K-one Visa Recipients (Per Capita), 2017

Rank	State	Admits per 100,000 (2017)
1	Washington D.C.	32
2	Hawaii	thirty
3	Alaska	21
4	Washington	nineteen
5	Nevada	xviii

The K-1 Visa: Who?

To explore One thousand-ane demographic data, we used information from a sample of recent RapidVisa customers. The RapidVisa dataset used for analysis below is a sample of 8,000 K-i sponsors and applicants between the years 2014 and 2018. The data are non an unbiased representation of all Thousand-1 sponsors and applicants, only rather a descriptive snapshot of sample of K-1 applicants and sponsors who have enlisted K-i application assistance services.

The boilerplate RapidVisa K-1 sponsor is a middle-aged, white male. Over eighty percentage of RapidVisa (RV) sponsors are male. The median age of sponsors is 42, which is two years higher than the median age in the United States. Over lx percentage of sponsors are Caucasian, 15 per centum are African-American and 14 pct are Hispanic/Latino.

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The average RapidVisa K-1 applicant is a female in her late 20s. Only under 78 percentage of RV applicants are female and over 40 percent are from the Philippines. The share of RV applicants who are Filipinos is double the share of total One thousand-one recipients who are Filipino. Despite that, the distribution of countries in the RV sample is similar to that of total K-1 entrants - 7 of the top ten bidder countries in the RV sample are also in the top ten of full M-1 visa entrants in 2017.

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Same-sexual activity couples make upward a pocket-size portion of K-1 visas. Same-sex couples made up only about vi percent of the total RV K-1 applications. Though information technology is a very pocket-size sample, the demographic characteristics of same-sex activity couples are similar to those of opposite-sexual activity couples.

The most cited sponsor occupations are drivers, business owners and retirees. Occupational data gives a window into who virtually sponsors are. The highest are drivers, concern owners, and the retired, with set incomes at or near U.S. median wages. Even so, individuals with high incomes, including doctors, financial advisors and business executives also make up a pregnant portion of sponsors.

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Close to a 3rd of K-1 applicants are in no-wage occupations. 20 percentage of all applicants entered "unemployed" equally their job and viii per centum entered "student." That said, 70 percent of applicants cited a task or occupation; entries ranged from domestic worker to sales executive to zoo-keeper. Simply, because the occupation range is wide and many applicants entered a unique job title, it is difficult to pull out broader applicant job takeaways. G-i sponsor average income is on the depression terminate. Median Chiliad-1 sponsor income is about 45,000 per twelvemonth, which is nearly 15,000 less than the United States median income. That said, extremely high-income individuals make upward a meaning portion of K-i sponsors - thirteen pct of sponsors make more than than 100,000 per twelvemonth.

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Determination

This report provides some of the first analysis of its kind of the K-1 visa regime. Like the U.S. immigration process and visa regime more than broadly, it has been historically either misunderstood or stereotyped. The historical origins of the Thousand-1 visa are based in U.S. foreign wars, and efforts to ease the entry of foreign-born spouses. Other than the most glaring trends—like the preponderance of Philippine applicants in absolute numbers, and most notably the sharp increment in "awaiting cases" during the Trump Administration—results are either anticipated, or noteworthy for their insignificance. K-one visa applications have remained steady only flat over the years. Moreover, they found a tiny fraction of overall visa admissions.

Unsurprisingly, the destination for most K-1 visa recipients are those of anyone else -- the most populous American cities and states. While many K-1 visas go to fiancés from developing or emerging countries, the United Kingdom and Canada both appear among the top ten countries of origin. Roughly as many M-1 visas went to fiancés from Canada, for instance, as to those from Brazil (which makes Canada a far greater source of foreign time to come spouses per capita than Brazil).

Demographic data is harder to pivot down, just likewise revealing: on the i hand, both retirees and professional drivers are unduly represented amid sponsors, while the unemployed or students boss the pool of Grand-i applicants. That said, information suggests a huge sweep of professions and backgrounds amid both applicants and sponsors, making type-casting impossible. Finally, the dramatic uptick in 'awaiting cases' during the Trump Administration (approximately doubling over 12 months) may reflect a widely reported attempt to limit immigration by creating authoritative hurdles.

Methodology & Sources

1 This finding uses a proprietary sample of RapidVisa data on sponsors and applicants and may not exist a representative sample of all K-ane sponsors and applicants.

2 This finding uses a proprietary sample of RapidVisa information on sponsors and applicants and may not exist a representative sample of all G-one sponsors and applicants.

3 Nonimmigrants entering the U.s. are distinguished (by law) equally those with immigrant intent (e.g., those seeking to remain in the Usa permanently), those who may but have nonimmigrant intent (i.e., those who are not seeking permanent status), and those who may have dual intent (e.g., those who may seek access for a temporary purpose while independently pursuing a related or unrelated purpose to remain in the The states permanently).

4 The Thou-i (and G-2) visa type was established in 1970 by Public Law 91-225, which amended the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act to add the H, Thousand, and L-type visas. The K-iii and K-four blazon visa were established in 1990 by the LIFE Human action.

5 The Chiliad-3 (and 1000-4) visa still exists in law, but has, in practice, been virtually eliminated every bit a viable spousal visa. Meet article: "The K3 Visa is Obsolete".

6 The Chiliad-2 visa is reserved for minors of K-ane applicants and is contingent on K-1 visa arbitrament. The 1000-3 and M-4 visas are reserved for the married foreign spouse of U.S. citizens and the unmarried, minor children of a married U.S. citizen and foreign spouse waiting for permanent visa status adjustments. (TEMPORARY MIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES: NONIMMIGRANT ADMISSIONS UNDER U.S. Immigration Law, Research and Evaluation Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Part of Policy and Strategy, Jan 2006.)

7 U.S. citizens and the foreign fiancés are subject to certain requirements of course — they must accept met in-person at some point within the last ii years, for instance, and the sponsor must see a certain income requirement, among others.

viii https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/immigrant-visa-for-spouse.html.

9 TEMPORARY MIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES: NONIMMIGRANT ADMISSIONS Nether U.S. IMMIGRATION LAW, Research and Evaluation Division, U.South. Citizenship and Clearing Services Office of Policy and Strategy, Jan 2006. PP. 12

10 http://world wide web.afsa.org/doing-social-work-southeast-asia

11 Harper, Immigration Laws of the Usa, p. 319; Elizabeth J. Harper, "The Act of April vii, 1970," I & N Reporter, April 1971, p. 47

12 http://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2017

13 New arrivals are only those who arrived in the Usa in the same yr. Immigrant visas are too issued to individuals already in the U.s. who qualify and are canonical for adjustment of status.

14 The Form I-129F is the offset pace in the G-i visa process. Once approved, applicants must besides pass an interview at the U.S. embassy in the country from which they apply.

Primary Information Sources

Publicly available statistics that were used as a source for this report tin can be seen at Department of Homeland Security'due south Clearing Statistics Yearbook and United States Citizenship & Immigration Services. Boosted data used in this report are from an internal RapidVisa customer sampling of 8,000 K-i visa applications from January 2014 through May 2019.

Acknowledgements

This project was commissioned and directed by RapidVisa with significant contribution from Causal Blueprint, an independent research firm based in Washington D.C.

RapidVisa's team involved with this project include Kyle Marvin, Director of Marketing; Eugene Biton, Senior Developer/Data Mining; Patrick Tabanas, DevOps Engineer; Zadkiel Molina, Spanish Translation; and Isagani Luna Jr., Senior Developer.

Causal Design's team involved with this project include Matthew Klick, Managing director of Research & Learning; Alex Porter, Atomic number 82 Researcher; and Steve Stapleton, Data Analyst/Data Visualization.

For inquiries regarding the contents of this report, contact Kyle Marvin at 800-872-1458. For press inquiries, contact Gina Yager at 702-480-8980.