Will F3 move forward in 2022?
The F3 immigrant visa is part of the family-based Green Card of the Family Preference categories of US family visas. The visa is available for the married child of a US citizen and their spouse and children.
If you have any questions regarding the F3 visas, immigrant visas, dates for filing, or just immigration law and the immigration process in general, we recommend you contact an immigration attorney in our team, who will offer an attorney-client relationship and discuss any concerns you may have, or for some help navigating the process.
You can call us on 0333 305 9375, or contact us online seven days a week via our live chat.
What is the F3 Visa?
The F 3 visa is an immigrant visa available for the children of US citizens who live outside the US in foreign countries that wish to live in the US. The F3 visa is strictly only available to married children of US citizens, their spouse or civil partner, and any minor children who are unmarried and under 21 years old.
As long as the family meets the requirements, the whole family of the U.S. citizen’s child can move to the United States and freely live, work and study in the U.S as a lawful permanent resident.
With the F3 visa, they can legally work without an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Instead, they just need a personal Social Security Number, and then they can study, and freely travel abroad and enter the US anytime.
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Will F3 move forward in 2022?
Annually, there is a quota for how many permits are given out, which is determined by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). This is currently set at 23,400 F3 visas per year.
Since October 2019, the dates for F3 visas per the visa bulletin showed they were being given out as fast as they did on average during the faster 2010 – 2019 decade.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the workload of the workers at the national visa center and impacted the priority date for applicants.
Due to this, there is a backlog of ‘interview-ready’ immigrant visa applications, which means they are priority individuals – and other applicants are going to have to wait until the significant backlog is processed before the F3 date can start advancing again.
According to 2022 visa bulletin predictions, there will be no ‘forward movement’ until the summer of 2022 but the more realistic time frame is there will be no movement from the national visa center until the end of 2022. This prediction has been shared by Charlie Oppenheim, who makes the decision about the Visa Bulletin. It is a good idea to personally subscribe visa bulletin online to monitor the final action date and current priority date.
Pandemic or not, it was never easy to predict just how long an F3 Visa application would take. Often, applicants must wait for some time for the visa application date to become current depending on the situation of the F3 quotas for that year. The time frame ranges from one year, but in some cases, applications can take up to ten years to process
What are the Requirements for the F3 Visa?
In order to be eligible for the F3 visa, you have to meet the following 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
- You must be married and prove it through a valid marriage certificate
As for the US citizen who wishes to bring their adult child to the US, as the sponsor, they must:
- Be a US citizen
- Have an adult child in a foreign country and prove it through a birth certificate or adoption documents
- Be living in the US and have a valid US address
What is the F3 visa application process?
There are a number of steps in the F3 application process.
The US citizen/parent must petition the US authorities in order to request permission for their immediate relatives to come to the US. Should the petition be approved, then the child and their family may make the actual F3 visa application.
The next step is to complete the F3 visa application and the Immigrant Visa Electronic Application, Form DS-260 by all family members in the family-based visa category. This form will require detailed information about the applicant’s background and reasons behind immigrating to the U.S.
The next step is to complete a medical examination by a certified medical examiner and have any vaccinations. Next up, attend a visa interview at the Embassy or consulate, receive a National visa center package and if all goes well, you may travel to the US.
What are the supporting documents for the F3 visa application process?
You need to submit all the supporting documents below as part of your F3 application:
- Your valid passport.
- Each family member’s passport.
- An affidavit of support on Form I-846 signed by your sponsoring parent.
- Complete Medical examination and vaccination documents
- Two photos for each person listed in your petition
- A valid marriage certificate (and certificates of divorce if applicable)
- Birth certificate or adoption documents for your eligible children
- Court and criminal records of each person applying for the visa
- Any military records (if applicable)
How Can Total Law Help?
Since the F3 doubles as a green card, it is an excellent pathway to immigration to the US. Plus, it allows for families to reunite and be together in the States.
However, the visa can be complicated and has many requirements and documents to apply with.
To make the process stress free, we suggest you work with our Total Law team of qualified immigration lawyers. We are available to support you with any requests seven days a week, by phone or by online chat on our website.
Advice Package
Get clear, expert advice on your visa options, eligibility and application before you commit to applying.
Application Package
Let our immigration lawyers prepare, check and manage your application so you can apply with confidence.
Fast Track Package
Need to apply quickly? Get priority handling by our immigration lawyers from preparation to submission.
Appeal Package
Been refused or received an unfavourable decision? Get expert legal help to challenge it or determine your next step.
The Advice Package
During this Advice Session, an immigration lawyer will assess your circumstances, explain your options and tell you what you need to do to make a strong application.
We review your circumstances, explain the relevant requirements, identify potential problems or refusal risks, and advise you on the evidence and next steps.
The Application Package
With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will assess your case, prepare your application, check your supporting documents and submit your forms on your behalf.
We check your application for missing information, inconsistencies and potential issues before submission, helping you avoid common mistakes that could affect your case.
The Fast Track Package
Our Fast-Track Application Package gives your case priority with our immigration lawyers, helping you get your application prepared, checked and submitted as quickly as possible.
Your case receives priority handling, including accelerated document reviews, application preparation, communication with your caseworker and submission support.
The Appeal Package
Our immigration lawyers will review the decision, explain why it was refused and advise on the strongest option available to you, including an appeal, review or fresh application where appropriate.
We will examine the reasons for refusal, identify weaknesses or errors, assess your available options and provide the legal support and representation your case requires.
Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Email your request to [email protected] or contact the National Visa Center by telephone at (603) 334-0700 for immigrant visa inquiries or
(603) 334-0888 for nonimmigrant visa inquiries. Please note that it is difficult to get an expedition.
The fees are:
- $535 for the processing of Form I-130
- $325 for the processing of Form DS-260
Variable fees for medical examinations.
