US Visas: Processing Information
Obtaining a US Visa can be an overwhelming prospect as there are many differing visa categories, each with its own unique requirements.
In the field of United States Family Immigration, there are three main visa options for those seeking to bring a foreign fiancee or wife to the United States.
The American Fiance Visa
The K1 visa (or Fiancee Visa) is only available for the foreign fiancee of a United States Citizen. This category is not available to the fiancée of an American Lawful Permanent Resident. The critical conditions are that the couple must have met IN PERSON two years prior to application (this requirements is waivable, but is rarely waived). The United States Citizen must demonstrate that he or she is able to support his or her foreign loved one financially, it is also incumbent upon the couple to show that they are in a bona fide relationship. The process of obtaining a US fiancee visa is generally the quickest method out of all US Family visas.
The US Immigrant Visa
The US Immigrant Visa is the usual method for bringing a foreign loved one to the USA. Of all the travel documents reviewed in this piece, the Immigrant visas are the only ones available to the foreign spouse of a lawful permanent resident. The types of travel document obtained pursuant to this area of the Immigration code are referred to as the CR1 and IR1 visas. The CR1 Visa Process takes the most amount of time, but once obtained, the visa confers lawful permanent residence upon the alien’s entry into the United States or America.
The K3 Marriage Visa
The K3 marriage visa is sort of a hybrid petition as it has elements of both the K1 visa process and the CR1 Visa Process. If a couple has not registered a marriage, then the K-3 is a bad option since the fiance visa takes less time and the Immigrant visas provide Lawful Permanent Residence in the United States. The K3 requires the filing of an initial I-130 petition and then the subsequent filing of a supplemental I-129f, or K3, application.
Even though there are multiple visa categories available to the husband, wife, or fiance of a United States Citizen. Derivative visas for children are available for the foreign national intending to immigrate to the United States of America. The K2 visa is the derivative visa for children of K1 visa holders. The K4 visa is the child derivative of the K3 visa. Lastly, the Conditional Resident 2 (CR-2) and Immediate Relative 2 (IR-2) visas are used by children of CR-1 and IR-1 visa holders. If Immigrant visas are being sought, then different applications must be filed for the US Citizen’s step-children to travel to the United States.
