US F3 Visa - Family-Based Immigration for Married Children of US Citizens

What Is the F3 Visa?

The F-3 visa is given to the children of US citizens who are in foreign countries (that fall under the list of eligible countries). This visa does not apply to the children who are not married, but is only given to married children of US citizens. Additionally, the spouse and minor children (unmarried and under 21 years old) qualify to get the F-3 visa too.

What Are the Family Preference Visas?

US immigration law allows certain noncitizens who are family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to become lawful permanent residents (get a Green Card) based on specific family relationships.

The Family Preference Visas are: 

• First preference (F-1 Visa) - unmarried sons and daughters (21 years of age and older) of US citizens;
• Second preference (F-2A Visa) - spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of lawful permanent residents;
• Second preference (F-2B Visa) - unmarried sons and daughters (21 years of age and older) of lawful permanent residents;
• Third preference (F-3 Visa) - married sons and daughters of US citizens; and
• Fourth preference (F-4 Visa) - brothers and sisters of US citizens (if the US citizen is 21 years of age and older).

Who Is Eligible for the F3 Visa?

The F-3 visa, as with many other family visas, does not have extensive requirements. You must have a parent who is a US citizen and prove it through valid birth certificates or adoption documents, you must be over 21 years old, and you must be married and prove it through a valid marriage certificate. 

As for the US citizen who wants to bring their adult child in the US permanently, you must be a US citizen, you must have an adult child in a foreign country and prove it through birth certificates or adoption documents, and you must be living in the US and have a valid US address. 

How to Apply for the F3 Visa?

The application process for the F-3 visa is long and has many steps. The process is initiated by the US citizen who must petition to the US authorities to obtain permission to have their adult child, the spouse, and minor children to come to the US. If the petition is approved, then the child and their family in the foreign country can start the application process. This means that the application is divided in two parts:

• The US Citizen petitions for their adult child, spouse, and minor children to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• When the petition is approved, the adult child and their family must apply to a US Embassy or Consulate in their home country

You cannot get the F-3 visa if the petition to USCIS has not been approved. You will not be allowed to apply and cannot be eligible for this type of Green Card.

The child and their family must start the application process at a nearby U.S Embassy or consulate.

What Happens During the Petition Filing Stage of the Application Process?

The US citizen starts the application process by filing the petition to USCIS. The petition is filed by sending a complete Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative to USCIS. The petition goes through the US Department of Homeland Security and is processed after the US citizen has paid the fee. It is important that the US citizen list their adult child’s spouse and minor children (if applicable) in the petition too. This will ensure that the whole family of the US citizen’s child will be eligible to get the F-3 visa and go to the US.

The petition is then processed by USCIS and they respond within a few months, depending on the workload. 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. If the petition is approved, then the documents will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC).

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.

However, due to the cap in the number of F-3 visas, you will not be able to apply for the visa even if your petition is approved if your priority date is not current. This means that if there are many other applications before you which pass the limit of the F-3 visas, then you will have to wait for your turn. When your date is current, you will be notified by the NVC and can start step two of the application process.

The child and their family must start the application process at a nearby U.S Embassy or consulate.

What Happens During the Application Process?

When the NVC notifies you that your priority date has become current, then you can use the instructions in the document package you received from them to begin your application process to get the F-3 visa. Since the petition lists you as the adult child of the US citizen as well as your spouse and minor children, each individual must submit a visa application. The application is done at the US Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.

You will need to fill out a Form DS-260, complete a medical examination, and compile your documents.

What Documents Do I Need to Include in My F3 Visa Application?

Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application is the form which all applicants for immigrant visas must submit. You, your spouse, and children must each submit a DS-260 Form. 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.

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 F-3 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

What Is the Processing Time of the F3 Visa?

Because there are caps for the Family Green Cards, the processing times may be quite long. For the F-3 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.

How Much Does the F-3 Visa Cost?

There are various fees that the petitioner and the applicant must pay throughout the application process for the F-3 visa. The amounts vary and are set by USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security and the individual U.S. Consulate where you are applying. The main categories of fees that must be paid are as follows:

• Form I-130 filing fee
• Processing fee for the Form DS-260
• Medical examination and vaccination fees
• Fees to get and translate all the supporting documents
• USCIS Immigrant Fee which you must pay after you receive your visa and before you travel to the US. USCIS will not issue you a Green Card without you paying this fee.