US K3 MARRIAGE VISASK3 Visa is a Marriage Visa that was created for Americans who want to bring their spouse back to the United States.
The US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) is a ‘non-immigrant’ visa which means that your Spouse will not be a permanent resident when arriving in the United States but would still have to apply for an Adjustment of Status.
- The US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) does however allow your Spouse to travel abroad unlike the K1 Visa which is a one-off visa. Your spouse may also bring any children under a “K4” visa. The I-130 petitions however need to be filed separately.
- The US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) is quite a bit more complicated than the K1 Fiancé Visa process.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR US K3 VISA (MARRIAGE VISA)
- Applications for a US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) involve filing for the Spousal Petition in the US (I-130). Once the petition is filed the Service Center will notify you that they have received the petition.
- After receiving the I-130 petition notice, the applicant must file a I-129F petition for the US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) with the Chicago Center which will in turn send your K3 Marriage Visa application to the Missouri Center for further processing. Once this is completed the US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) petition is sent to the US Embassy in Bangkok.
- The remainder of the process is the same as that for the K1 Visa, but the processing times are longer than the average K1 Visa application.
ELIGIBILITY FOR US K3 VISA (MARRIAGE VISA)
- You must be a US citizen, and the applicant must be your spouse;
- There must be a pending immigration petition naming your spouse as a beneficiary on file with the USCIS;
- The marriage between you and your spouse must be valid, meaning that it has met all the requirements to have a valid marriage in Thailand or the country/jurisdiction where you married, and were not subject to any impediment (such as a non-terminated prior marriage) to your ability to marry at that time.
- After obtaining a US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa), your wife (and her unmarried minor children, using the K4 visa) can travel to the United States and live with you for up to 2 years.
- During that time the USCIS will process the K4 visa (child of a K3 holder) and immigration petition, and your spouse will be able to apply for an adjustment of status to become a legal permanent resident in the United States.
- The US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) is more complicated than obtaining a spousal immigration visa.
However, given the lengthy processing times at most USCIS service centers, it is a welcome alternative to your spouse being forced to live in Thailand for an extended period, and the K3 Marriage Visa has already helped many families reunite.
TSL US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) Services
TSL’s staff will provide you with comprehensive support and guidance to ensure that the US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) application process goes smoothly, and may include (but not limited to) the following:
- Consultation with our Immigration Specialist to provide you with clear and logical legal advice about the application process.
- Assistance with preparation of application forms and supporting documents required for the specific visa category.
- Filing of the application package to each of the appropriate agencies.
- Access to consultation with Lawyers with specific expertise depending on the needs of each case.
- Communication with the US Embassy on behalf of the applicant.
- Proper preparation for the appointment and interview at the Embassy.
- If necessary, assistance with obtaining police clearance report or medical examination.
Recommendations
- Please keep copies of all application forms and support documents and take clear notes of specific questions that you are asked and the answers that you give. This will give TSL what it needs to assist you in case your application is rejected.
- The advice of an immigration consultant to obtain your entry clearance will save you significant time and cost, compared with the cost of a lawyer to help overturn the refusal of a US K3 Visa (Marriage Visa) for a Thai national.
- Before you start, we recommend that you should speak with one of TSL’s Visa & Immigration Specialists or request further information about US Visa applications.