K-3 Visa Explanation

• The K-3 visa is used when an American citizen wishes to bring their foreign born spouse to the United States to live. The non-immigrant K-3 visa, if approved, will allow the spouse to enter the United States and live while the couple await the approval of the immigrant visa petition. Note that as of Feb. 1, 2010, the use of K-3 visas was being phased out and the new IR-1 or CR-1 visas are being implemented.
  
  

K-3 Visa Process

• The American citizen spouse must first petition with the Department of Homeland Security for her spouse. Once the petition has been approved in the United States, the petition will be sent to the American embassy in the spouse's country or to the nearest American embassy that processes visa applications. The foreign born spouse will then complete a medical examination, fingerprinting and an interview before the visa can be approved.
  
  

K-3 Visa Processing Times

• Processing times for visa applications can vary for a number of reasons including the number of applications being processed at the time, the country of origin of the spouse and whether there are errors in the petition. As of 2010, the total processing time from petition to interview was around 200 days.