The F3 visa is a Family Preference visa given to married children of US citizens, including their spouse and unmarried minor children.
The F3 visa is only given to 23,400 people in one year. If the limit for one year is reached, then the other visas will be given in chronological order in the next years.
What Are the Requirements For the F3 Visa?
The F3 visa as with many other family visas does not have extensive requirements. In order to be eligible for the F3 visa, you must fulfill these conditions:
- The applicant must be a child of a US citizen.
- The child must be over 21 years old and married.
- The parent must be living in the US and have a valid US address.
Supporting Documents for the F3 Visa
The file must contain the following:
- Your valid passports for more than 6 months after your planned entry into the US (your passport, your spouse’s, and minor children’s)
- A signed Form I-864, Affidavit of Support from the US petitioner (applicant’s parent)
- Form DS-260 confirmation page
- Medical examination and vaccination documents
- Two US visa photos per individual according to the Photo Requirements
- Your valid marriage certificate to prove your marriage
- Birth certificates or adoption documents of your children
- Court and criminal records and/or police certificate
- If you have been previously married, you must bring divorce or certificates of death to prove the marriage was officially terminated
- If you served in the military, you must bring your military records
How to Apply For the F3 Visa?
The application process is divided in two parts:
- The US Citizen petitions for their adult child, along with their spouse, and minor children to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- The adult child and their family apply to a US Embassy or Consulate in their home country.
Filing the Petition
The petition is filed by sending a complete Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative to USCIS. The petition is then processed by USCIS and they respond within a few months, depending on the workload.
If the petition is approved, then the documents will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). If the petition is denied, the reasons for denial will be given so that the US citizen can then adjust the petition and file it again.
The NVC sends a package of documents and instructions to the applicants in the foreign country. The documents contain your case number and invoice ID number which will be used to apply for the actual visa at the US Embassy as well as pay all the necessary fees.
Applying for the F3 Visa
The application is done at the US Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence, and you should go through these steps:
File Form DS-260
Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application is the form which all applicants for immigrant visas must submit. The form is completed online and you will need to give detailed information about your background and reasons for immigration. You can access your DS-260 Form by entering the NVC case number that you got in the instructional package. When you submit the form, you will get a confirmation page and number which you must then later send to the NVC as part of your documents file.
Complete medical examination and vaccination
Anyone who is planning to immigrate and live in the US must go through a medical examination and get the necessary vaccines. In this case, you, your spouse, and minor children must get the required check-ups at a licensed doctor and the vaccines. The documents must be signed by the licensed doctor and you must submit them as part of your documents file to the NVC.
Compile documents file
Your documents file must contain all the necessary documentation which supports your case. You must convince the NVC and US Embassy or Consulate that you and your family fulfill all the requirements and are eligible to get the F3 visa.
Attend interview
The NVC will schedule your interview with the US Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. You, your spouse, and minor children must attend the interview. You will be asked about your background and the official will determine whether you can get the F3 visa to join your parent in the US.
Receive NVC packet and travel to the US
If your visa is approved you will receive a package which you must bring with you when you travel to the US to enter for the first time with your immigrant visas. You must not open the package under any circumstances. Only the immigration officials at the US port of entry are allowed to open it and determine whether you are eligible to enter the US or not.
How Much Does the F3 Visa Cost?
The amounts vary and are set by USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security and the individual Embassy or Consulate where you are applying. The main categories of fees that must be paid are as follows:
| Category | Description | Estimated Cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-130 Filing Fee | Petition for Alien Relative, paid by U.S.-based petitioner | $535 |
| Form DS-260 Processing Fee | Immigrant Visa Application and Alien Registration | $325 |
| Medical Examination and Vaccination | Required for visa applicants; costs vary based on location and provider | $200 – $500 |
| Translation Fees | For documents not in English; varies based on volume and provider rates | $100 – $300 |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | Paid after receiving the visa; covers Green Card issuance | $220 |
| Total Estimated Cost (approximate) | $1,380 – $1,880+ | |
How Long Is the F3 visa Processing Time?
Because there are caps for the Family Green Cards, the processing times may be quite long. For the F3 visa, the processing time can range from 1 year up to extreme cases of 10 years. This is because there are so many people applying that they cannot all be processed at the same time.
Other Types of Family Preference Visas
- F-1 visa is given to unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens and their minor children (Not to be confused with the F-1 Student Visa)
- F-2 visa is given to the spouse and minor children (F-2A visa), or adult children (F-2B visa) of US Lawful Permanent Residents
- F-4 visa is given to siblings of US citizens who will go to the US with their spouses and minor children. For this visa to apply, the US citizen must be at least 21 years old.