A letter of intent to marry is a short signed letter in which a couple states their plan to marry. A letter of intent (LOI) to marry is one of the visa eligibility requirements when it comes to getting a K-1 visa (also called a nonimmigrant visa for fiancé/fiancée). In the LOI to marry, the fiancé and fiancée promise to officially register their marriage within ninety days after the foreign-citizen fiancé/fiancée enters the United States.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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The parties who create a free letter of intent template to marry are also called the petitioner (US citizen giving the invitation) and the beneficiary (a person applying for a K-1 visa). The form is required as part of a document package that should be submitted in the process of applying for a K1 visa (it happens after filing and approval of the Form I-129F – Petition for alien fiancé).
A letter of intent to marry should be submitted by both fiancé and fiancée. The document is proof of their mutual intent to marry within 90 days and their legal ability to do so. A foreign citizen gets a status of a fiancé or fiancée once they get an approved Form I-129F and are granted a fiancé visa.
Some statistics: According to the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, in 2020, a K-1 fiancé visa was issued 19,315 times (in 2019, the number was 41,087).
A letter is a simple document but it is essential to demonstrate the plans of the fiancé and fiancée to marry within 90 days after entering the United States when one person in a couple is not a US resident. Having signatures of the US resident and K-1 applicant is a legal requirement of the USCIS.
When it comes to the petitioner’s/beneficiary’s signature, the official instructions to filling the form tell about the need to sign the form, but they don’t specify whether or not the signature should be original and “wet”. It means that both the fiancé and fiancée should submit the letters with their signatures, and the form might be scanned, photocopied, faxed, or emailed.
Usually, the letter goes in the form of a common piece of paper (about 8.5×11), and it might be complemented by some other evidence to justify the marriage intentions of the couple.
The I-129F (Petition for alien fiancé) might also be accompanied by certain documents. They let US Citizenship and Immigration Services officers have more evidence of two individuals’ intention to marry each other within 90 days after the beneficiary’s coming to the US. Among such documents are:
The abovementioned documents are not necessary for USCIS officers, and a fiancé letter of intent to marry is generally enough.
If you need an intent to marry sample letter, you can use the sample provided on our website. It is free to use and easy to download!
A letter of intent to marry is a short document that states a person’s intention to marry within 90 days when a couple wants to apply for the K-1 visa. It can be filled in several simple steps.
The recipient and subject. Start with the recipient. Write USCIS and the filing address for your petition in the top left corner of the document.
Then add a subject line that names the petition: I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé.
Names, addresses and contact details. Write the full names of the petitioner and the beneficiary. Add your address in the United States, plus a phone number and an email address.
The statement. Write the statement about your intention to marry. Start with a greeting such as "To whom it may concern" or "Dear USCIS officer."
Next, give your name and say whether you are the petitioner or the beneficiary. Then state that you are legally able and willing to marry your fiancé or fiancée within 90 days after they arrive in the United States on the K-1 visa.
Attachments. Add proof that you are planning the wedding. A receipt for catering, a DJ or a florist works well. Samples of wedding invitation cards also help.
The closing. Thank the USCIS officer for reading your letter. Invite them to contact you with any questions about the I-129F petition.
The signature. Sign the letter, then add the date and your printed name below your signature.
If you need a letter of intent to marry, use our online document builder. With it, you will get a customized letter of intent to marry sample in no time. Just answer several questions about yourself and your fiancé or fiancée and a ready-made document will be waiting for you.
Use this table as a quick check while you draft. Each row matches one of the steps above, in the same order, so you can see what belongs in each part of the letter.
| Part | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Recipient and subject | USCIS, its filing address and a subject line that names the I-129F petition |
| Names and contact details | The full names of the petitioner and the beneficiary, a US address, a phone number and an email address |
| Statement | A greeting, your name and status, and your commitment to marry in the United States |
| Attachments | Proof of your plans to marry, such as receipts and samples of invitation cards |
| Closing | A thank-you and an invitation to contact you with questions |
| Signature | Your signature, the date and your printed name |
A few habits make your writing clear for the reader and easy to check. Use these tips while you draft, then read the finished page once more before you sign it.
Small slips can distract a reader from the plans you describe. Check your draft for these four before you sign it, and fix any that you find. Most of them take only a minute to catch.
The sample below shows how a finished version looks on one page. It uses made-up names and addresses, so replace every detail with your own. It follows the same order as the steps above: recipient, subject, statement, attachments, closing and signatures.
From: Mary Taylor Allen
989 Miller St.
League City, TX 77573
Phone number: +1777666432
Email: mary.a@gmail.com
To: USCIS
6046 N Belt Line Rd,
Irving, TX 75038
RE: I-129F Petition for an Alien Fiancé(é)
Dear USCIS officer,
I am the Petitioner, Mary Taylor Allen. My alien fiancé Beneficiary, Luke Michael and I respectfully submit this Letter of Intent to Marry as evidence and promise to marry each other in the United States. We plan to marry each other within 90 days after arrival with a K1 visa.
As evidence of our plans to marry, we attach some essential proofs:
All documents are genuine, original, and unaltered.
Sincerely,
Mary Taylor Allen April 4, 2021
Luke Michael April 4, 2021
It is a short letter that starts with the recipient and subject, then states the plan to marry, lists the attachments and ends with signatures and dates. The sample above shows a finished example.
The signature and name of the petitioner or beneficiary are necessary to include.
There are typically no other requirements to a letter of intent to marry such as notarization or else.
Once the letter is created and signed, it should be sent to one of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (UNCIS) offices by mail.
Select Create My Document at the top of this page and answer a few questions to build your letter online. The sample above shows what a finished letter looks like.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
