What Are Some Common Family Visa Questions?

What is a K-1 Visa?
This non-immigrant visa is issued to allow either the fiancé or fiancée of a citizen of the United States citizen (immigrant) to enter the country. If the immigrant does not marry the person who is petitioning on his or her behalf, he or she must leave the United States. After the marriage has taken place, the holder of the K-1 non-immigrant visa can apply to become a permanent resident of the U.S. Despite the non-immigrant label attached to these visas, they are typically handled by the Immigrant Visa department in U.S. embassies and consulates.

What is a K-3 Visa?
A K-3 visa grants the spouse, of a U.S. citizen, and his or her children to enter the United States while the USCIS approval process of the I-130 petition is taking place. Only unmarried children under the age of 21 are allowed, according to the immigration laws.

What is a K-2 Visa?
This visa allows the children of an immigrant, with a K-1 fiancée visa, to enter the U.S. with that parent. To qualify for a K-2 visa, the children have to be: under 21, unmarried, and the K-1 applicant’s child.

What is an F-2 Visa?
This non-immigrant visa allows spouses and children, who are dependent on the holder of an F-1 visa to enter into the United States. With this non-immigrant visa, the immigrant is allowed to enter with his or her spouse or join him or her later. In addition, this non-immigrant visa allows him or her to stay in the United States or travel to and from it, as long as he or she maintains F-2 status.

What is an H-4 Visa?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will issue an H-4 visa to the immediate family members of an immigrant holding an H-1B. Only a spouse or children, under the age of 21 qualify for this visa.

What is a L-2 Visa
The dependent spouse and minor unmarried children of a valid L-1 visa holder can enter the United States with an L-2 visa. This kind of visa is considered a non-immigrant visa. The length of time the spouse’s L-1 visa stays valid determines the duration of an L-2 visa.

What is an F-1 Visa?
An F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. Any foreign student that gets accepted to an academic institution, in the United States, at a full-time status must apply for an F-1 non-immigrant visa. This non-immigrant visa will allow the student to stay in the United States for the duration of his or her academic endeavors. Non-immigrant visas are meant to be temporary.

What is an H-1B Visa?
United States employers are allowed to employ foreign workers, temporarily, for specialized positions as long as they have an H-1B visa. This non-immigrant visa, according to the Immigration & Nationality Act, allows the foreign worker to find employment elsewhere too. If he or she quits or is removed from a position and does not find another employer, he or she will be forced to leave the United States. He or she also has the option to change their visa to another non-immigrant status as well.

What is an L-2 Visa?
A dependent spouse or children (that are minors and unmarried) of the holder of a legitimate L-1 visa is allowed to enter the United States with an L-2 visa. This non-immigrant visa lasts as long as the spouse’s L-1 visa stays valid.

What is an M-2 Visa?
The dependent spouse and children of a valid M-1 student visa holder are allowed into the United States with a non-immigrant M-2 visa. To qualify for such a visa the immigrant or immigrants must meet the following two requirements. It must be apparent that he or she intends to enter the United States temporarily. He or she must also prove dependence on the M-1 student visa holder to receive a non-immigrant M-2 Visa.

What is a V-1 Visa?
This visa is known as a non-immigrant visa. Once an immigrant has attained his or her status as a permanent legal resident of the United States, this individual’s spouse can join him or her. This non-immigrant visa grants a permanent resident’s spouse the ability to enter into the U.S. while he or she waits to be issued an immigrant visa.

What is a V-3 Visa?
The dependent child of a V-1 or V-2 visa holder can be issued a V-3 if he or she meets certain requirements. He or she must be unmarried and under 21 years of age. It must also be proven that he or she is the child of the V-1 or V-2 holder. The V-3 only lasts as long as the V-1 and V-2 visa holder maintains his or her status.