Thursday, September 15, 2011

A K3 Marriage Visa Keeps Couples In America

By Roseann Wilcox


If you have married a foreign citizen (that is, someone who is not a U. S. Citizen) abroad, a K3 marriage visa can get your spouse legally into the United States.

The purpose of the K3 is to allow foreign born spouses to live with their American partners in the United Stats as they await the processing of their immigrant visas. You must already be married before applying for the K3.

When foreigners apply for immigrant status to the United States, they generally must go through the entire application process outside the United States. However, it can take years for immigrant status to get approved, if at all. Realizing that keeping married couples apart for such a long time was not conducive to wedded bliss, the U. S. Government established the K3 so the foreign spouse could complete the immigration process in the United States.

As the American, only you can begin the K3 process. There is a petition called an I-130 that you must file with both the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (often abbreviated to USCIS), as well as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After filing the I-130, you will then file an I-129F with the USCIS.

Accepted petitions then get sent to the U. S. Consulate or embassy nearest to where your foreign spouse is living. A consular official will contact your spouse to set up interviews, provide more forms to fill out, and collect relevant documentation. This documentation includes things like marriage certificate, police certificate, and necessary birth certificates.

Assuming the K3 marriage visa is issued, a stamp will be placed in the passport of your spouse. Your spouse will also get a packet sealed that holds all the relevant documentation provided. Only the DHS can legally open this envelope, so your spouse must be sure not to open it or it will nullify the K3. Read more about: k3 marriage visa




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