The K-3 US Spouse Visa
The US marriage visa (also called the “spouse visa,” andofficially known as the K-3 visa) is a non-immigrant US visa intended to help the foreign spouse of an American citizen to come to the US until his/her immigrant marriage visa (IR1 or CR1) is approved. Marriage visas are a specialty of Seattle Law Group’s immigration attorneys, and we have helped many clients get a spouse visa in order to be reunited with their husband or wife in the United States.
The spouse visa process begins with the forms I-129F and I-130, often referred to as marriage petitions. After approving these forms, the government will issue a marriage (K-3) visa, allowing the foreign spouse to seek employment as well as adjustment of status to permanent resident.
Defining a Couple for the US Marriage Visa
Per the State Department’s spouse visa guidelines, a couple must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for a US marriage visa:
- Legally married (merely living together is insufficient)
- A heterosexual couple
- Each other’s first spouse, if part of a polygamous relationship
Additionally, if a couple married outside the United States wants a US spouse visa, then the marriage petitions must be filed from the country of marriage. If yours is a common-law marriage, you may or may not be eligible for a spouse visa, depending on the jurisdiction that originally recognized your marriage.
If you, like many of our clients, wish to bring your husband or wife to the United States via a spouse visa, but are overwhelmed by the rules, processes, and paperwork required to get the K-3 visa, then our immigration attorneys will be a helpful, expert resource. Contact a Seattle Law Group spouse visa expert today to learn more about the requirements for and benefits of a US marriage visa.
