There are many different visa programs that allow people to live in the United States. Many people use family relationships as the legal basis for seeking a visa. Some people get engaged to United States citizens and enter the country with K-1 visas.
Others may get married while technically living in separate countries. Those who have married United States citizens may hope to join them in the United States eventually. Petitioning for a K-3 visa is one viable option for foreign national spouses of United States citizens.
Who might be eligible for a K-3 visa?
K-3 visas exist to help people reconnect with their foreign national spouses. Citizens who marry people from other countries can help people enter the United States by applying for K-3 visas.
The spouse who hopes to receive the K-3 visa is subject to scrutiny during the visa application review process by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Foreign national spouses have to pass background checks before they qualify. They also have to submit medical records affirming that they meet necessary qualifications regarding immunizations.
Provided that the foreign national spouse qualifies for a K-3 visa, they can reunite with their citizen spouse. If they have minor children from a prior relationship, it may also be possible to seek K-4 visas as well.
Minor children may receive K-4 visas
Perhaps the foreign national spouse had a prior relationship. They may have children who they want to bring with them to the United States. The children of a K-3 visa holder can legally enter the United States with their parents if the family follows the right procedure.
Typically, only unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible for K-4 visas. The citizen spouse must include the names of the children on the visa application submitted for their spouse. There are additional documents and fees to address.
They may need support ensuring that they follow the appropriate procedures to pursue K-4 visas for the children of their spouse. If they obtain the visas, it may be possible for the fiancé and their children to enter the country together. It is also possible to arrange for the foreign national spouse to enter the country first and then send for their children once they have established everything necessary in the United States.
K-3 and connected K-4 visas can be important for families trying to reconnect after a separation caused by international boundaries. Those who have spouses living abroad may be eligible to apply for K-3 visas for their spouses and K-4 visas for any children that their spouses may have from prior relationships.