United States · Immigration54
Spouse and Child Nonimmigrant Routes (K-3 / K-4)
Designed to let the spouse of a U.S. citizen (K-3) and their children (K-4) wait inside the U.S. while an I-130 is pending. In practice rarely issued today.
Requires current verification · Editorial record dated 10/20/2026 · Not lawyer review or an eligibility decision. Check current official instructions.
Who this is for
Spouses of U.S. citizens with a pending I-130 — though this route is now uncommon because I-130 processing often outpaces it.
Rarely issued in practice; verify current availability with the Department of State before relying on this route.
Common problems
Largely obsolete
Because I-130 processing has sped up relative to the K-3, most cases convert to standard immigrant visa processing.