This visa allows the spouse or child of a U.S. citizen to be admitted to the United States in a nonimmigrant category. The admission allows the spouse or child to complete processing for permanent residence while in the United States.  It also allows those admitted in the K-3 category to have permission for employment while they await processing of their case to permanent resident status.

Who is Eligible?

A person may receive a K-3 visa if that person has:

• Concluded a valid marriage with a citizen of the United States;
• A relative petition hs been filed by the U.S. citizen spouse for the person;
• Seeks to enter the United States to await the approval of the petition and subsequent lawful permanent resident status; and,
• An approved Petition for Alien Fiance, forwarded to the American consulate abroad where the non-citizen wishes to apply for the K-3/K-4 visa.
  

NOTE: the consulate must be in the country in which the marriage to the U.S. citizen took place if the United States has a consulate which issues immigrant visas in that country.  If the marriage took place in the United States, the designated consulate is the one with jurisdiction over the current residence of the non-citizen spouse.

A person may receive a K-4 visa if that person is under 21 years of age and is the unmarried child of an alien eligible to be a K-3.