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I-129F Evidence Checklist

Everything USCIS asks for as initial evidence on the I-129F fiancé(e) petition, in one checkable list. Print it, carry it around while you gather documents, and make sure nothing's missing before you file. Free, no signup, no email required.

Sourced from the official USCIS Form I-129F "Checklist of Required Initial Evidence". Last checked against the live USCIS page: July 23, 2026.

Send copies, not originals, unless the form instructions specifically ask for the original. USCIS states this directly and it's an easy detail to miss.
Any document in a language other than English needs a full English translation plus a signed certification from the translator confirming it's complete, accurate, and that they're competent to translate it.
This checklist is informational, not the form itself; don't submit it with your petition. Always check the current edition date on the actual Form I-129F before filing.

Evidence of U.S. citizenship (pick one)

Birth certificate issued by a civil registrar, vital statistics office, or civil authorityA U.S. birth certificate issued by the state, county, or other civil registrar, not a hospital-issued keepsake certificate. Naturalization or citizenship certificate (USCIS or former INS)For citizens who naturalized rather than were born citizens, issued by USCIS or the former INS. Form FS-240, Consular Report of Birth AbroadIssued by a U.S. embassy or consulate for a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent. Unexpired U.S. passportThe photo page of a current, unexpired U.S. passport book or card works on its own. Original statement from a U.S. consular officer verifying citizenship, plus a valid passportUsed only when none of the documents above are available: a formal citizenship verification from a U.S. consular officer.

Legal ability to marry (if applicable)

Final divorce decree, if either party was previously marriedThe final decree itself, not just the filing, showing the earlier marriage has legally ended. Annulment order, if a prior marriage was annulledThe court order voiding a prior marriage, if it ended by annulment rather than divorce. Prior spouse's death certificate, if widowedThe prior spouse's official death certificate, if the earlier marriage ended by death.

Photos

One color, passport-style photo of the petitioner, taken within 30 days of filingSame standard as a U.S. passport photo: color, recent, plain background. One color, passport-style photo of the fiancé(e), taken within 30 days of filingSame standard as a U.S. passport photo: color, recent, plain background.

If applicable

Evidence of legal name change, if either party has changed their nameA marriage certificate, court order, or similar document, if either party's name differs across their other documents. Evidence supporting an IMBRA waiver, if the petitioner has filed multiple K-1 petitions or has a relevant criminal historyOnly needed if the petitioner has filed more than 2 prior K-1 petitions, or has certain criminal history findings USCIS screens for. Form G-28, only if represented by an attorney or accredited representativeOnly included if a lawyer or accredited representative is formally representing the petitioner.

K-1 classification specifically

Evidence of a bona fide intention to marryAnything showing the relationship is genuine, not just claimed. Most of a couple's own evidence, photos, messages, calls, visits, engagement photos, an engagement ring receipt, belongs here. Attorneys generally favor a curated set (10-30 well-chosen photos, for example) over a large, undifferentiated dump. A signed letter of intent to marry, from each of youA short, dated statement from each partner describing the relationship and confirming the plan to marry within 90 days. Not on USCIS's own checklist by name, but a commonly used way to directly support the two intent-to-marry items above. Evidence of intent to marry within 90 days of the fiancé(e)'s U.S. admissionThe K-1 visa requires marrying within 90 days of the fiancé(e)'s U.S. arrival; concrete wedding plans (a venue booking, a save-the-date) support this alongside the letter above. Evidence of an in-person meeting within 2 years of filing, or evidence that meeting would violate a strict/long-established cultural or social custom, or would cause extreme hardship to the petitionerProof of at least one in-person meeting in the 2 years before filing: flight bookings, passport stamps, photos together. Exceptions exist for strict cultural custom or extreme hardship.

This checklist covers only the I-129F petition itself. Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) and medical exam results are real requirements, but they belong to later stages (the K-1 visa interview and adjustment of status), not the I-129F filing to USCIS, so they're deliberately left off this list.

This is a checklist, not legal advice, and BonaVault isn't a law firm. Checking every box here doesn't guarantee anything about your case. It's here so you can see, at a glance, what USCIS actually asks for and what you've already gathered.

I'm building BonaVault, a tool that does this kind of tracking automatically, across chats, photos, and documents, not just a checklist. It's in development.

See what it's about →