What's up with the K3 visa? Why do people say it's "dead" since 2010?

[YouAndMeForever 1,022]

I ask this question simply out of curiosity. The K3 visa always seemed a mystery to me. Why do people say "The K3 has been declared dead as of Feb 1, 2010."? Is it no longer available? I just don't understand the point of the K3 visa. Why would any married couple choose it over the CR-1 which includes AOS too and therefore is a lot cheaper?

[milimelo 4,167]

In the old days - think around 2001, it regularly took over several YEARS to get a spousal visa and K3 was introduced as a way to cut down on the separation time.

Since nowadays the IR/CR visa is at a steady pace of around a year start to finish (in most, not all cases), they're no longer issuing K3 as frequently as before. NVC even has a rule that if both approved petitions (I-130 and I-129f) make it there at the same time they will administratively close I-129f (leading to K3) and proceed with IR/CR one - immigrant visa. I think I saw maybe 5 cases on VJ in the past several years that were K3.

[YouAndMeForever 1,022]

In the old days - think around 2001, it regularly took over several YEARS to get a spousal visa and K3 was introduced as a way to cut down on the separation time.

Since nowadays the IR/CR visa is at a steady pace of around a year start to finish (in most, not all cases), they're no longer issuing K3 as frequently as before. NVC even has a rule that if both approved petitions (I-130 and I-129f) make it there at the same time they will administratively close I-129f (leading to K3) and proceed with IR/CR one - immigrant visa. I think I saw maybe 5 cases on VJ in the past several years that were K3.

Thank you so much for your answer. Very interesting!

Edited November 29, 2014 by YouAndMeForever

[Ryan H 3,790]

Moved from What Visa Do I Need - Family Based Immigration to K3 Process & Procedures; topic is specifically about the K3 visa.