Spouse Visa
When American citizens have wives or husbands who reside in foreign countries, there are two different ways they can gain entry into the United States. With the first way, an individual can “sponsor” their spouse’s immigrant visa for entry into the U.S. This process will allow the foreign spouse to complete the visa process outside of the U.S. and then arrive into the states to obtain permanent residency status upon entering. An IR1 or CR1 visa will be given in this case. The other way for your spouse to gain entry into the United States is through a K-3 visa. The K3 visa is a non-immigrant visa for the U.S. The K3 visa will allow the process to begin outside of the U.S., the process will be completed when they enter the states. In these cases, the application must be made in the country where the marriage took place. If your marriage took place in the U.S., your spouse must apply for a K3 visa through the U.S. Embassy in the country of their residence.
In order to qualify for a K3 visa, IR1 visa, or CR1 visa, an individual must meet the following requirements:
- You must be legally married. Simply living together does not qualify a marriage for immigration. Unmarried partners are ineligible to sponsor visas to the United Stated.
- In most cases you must have a residence in the U.S. to apply. If you live outside the U.S., you will need the assistance of an attorney.
- You must be 18 years old before you can sign the Affidavit of Support, which is a form that will be required later in the immigration process.
Spouse or marriage visas can be very difficult to obtain because so many different kinds of information need to be provided before a visa will be issued. An Atlanta immigration lawyer can be very helpful to both you and your spouse and will reduce a large amount of the stress and worry that often accompanies this process.
Contact an Atlanta Immigration Attorney at The Muhammad Firm today for help obtaining a marriage or spouse visa!