To: President of the United States, Secretary of State, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate 

We, the undersigned, urge you to act with compassion and justice by exempting Iranian K-1 visa applicants that are an immigrant visa from the entry restrictions imposed by Presidential Proclamation 10949, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”

This order, signed on January 20, 2025, broadly suspends entry of individuals from several countries, including Iran, and has directly impacted U.S. citizens who have applied for K-1 fiancé(e) visas to reunite with their future spouses.

These are genuine, long-term relationships built on trust, hope, and love. Many of us have followed every legal step: submitting the I-129F petition, completing the visa interview, and enduring months or even years of administrative processing, only to now be subjected to a blanket travel ban that threatens to permanently separate us from our life partners.

These couples present no threat to national security.
K-1 visa applicants are rigorously screened by USCIS, the State Department, and multiple intelligence agencies.
Most of these applicants have already passed security checks and are simply waiting for final clearance.

These are real American families being torn apart.
U.S. citizens are being denied the basic right to live with their chosen life partner.
In many cases, the couples are in their late 30s or 40s, and the biological window for starting a family is rapidly closing.
Separation causes severe emotional distress, mental health deterioration, and in some cases, forces Americans to consider relocating abroad just to be with their loved ones.

We request:
That K-1 visa applicants from Iran be added to the categorical exception list in the Presidential Proclamation or associated guidance.
That their cases be prioritized for waiver consideration on the basis of undue hardship to the U.S. citizen petitioner.
That the administration publicly clarify how bona fide family-based petitions will be treated under EO 10949.
The values of family unity, fairness, and individual dignity must not be casualties of overly broad immigration policies. These relationships are not abstract “cases”—they are real people with real futures being destroyed by indefinite uncertainty.

We ask you: Do not punish love. Do not block families. Do not delay motherhood and fatherhood until it is too late.
Please include Iranian K-1 visa applicants in the categorical exceptions to Presidential Proclamation 10949.