Many US citizens who marry a foreign national do so by applying for the K1 visa. This visa allows the couple to travel to the United States and to get married within 90 days of entering the United States. The K-1 visa is often considered desirable because it grants the spouse immediate conditional permanent residency in the United States and allows the couple to live together without any interruption.
However, there are cases in which a US citizen and a foreign national marry outside of the United States. For example, the couple may wish to get married surrounded by the foreign fiancé(e)’s family. Certain cultural traditions or family traditions may require a marriage outside of the US. A couple may simply also not be willing to wait for the K1 visa in order to marry in the US. In some cases, the couple may marry and live abroad for some time before deciding to move to the US. In cases where a couple is already married and wish to apply to live and work in the US, the couple can apply for a K3 visa.
The K-3 visa is designed to allow the non-US spouse of a US citizen to enter the US. The spouse enters the US as a nonimmigrant and can then adjust the status to a green card holder by filing Form I-485 with the USCIS. If the foreign spouse has children or dependents, they can apply for a K4 visa, which allows them to live with their parents in the United States.
As with the K1 visa, the K3 visa requires an interview with immigration officials in order to insure the validity of the marriage. As with all marriage based immigration, authorities are concerned about the potential for immigration fraud, and the K-3 visa interview is designed to help weed out any fraudulent marriages. The K3 visa interview usually requires both parties in the couple to be interviewed separately. Both couples will be asked questions that help officials determine whether the relationship is legitimate. For example, the couple will be asked how they met, will be asked about past jobs and past relationships, will be asked about their career, among other details. The couple may also be asked the same questions, separately, to ensure that the couple really have a legitimate relationship. The US citizen may also be asked to show evidence of finances and a job if the couple intend to live in the US.
When preparing for a K3 visa interview, read the notice of the interview and follow any instructions about documentation to bring. Bring additional documentation, including photos of the two of your together, any letters you have sent to each other, and financial documents, if you have them. Having extra documentation is useful as it gives authorities even more evidence of your relationship. Show up dressed in business casual wear or nicely dressed and be prepared to be pleasant and thorough when answering questions.
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