V Visas
V-1 - Spouses of U.S. Residents
V-2 - Children of U.S. Residents
V-3 - Children of V-1 or V-2
The V visa is a temporary visa available to spouses and minor children (unmarried, under 21) of U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPR, also known as green card holders). It allows permanent residents to achieve family unity with their spouses and children while the immigration process takes its course. It was created by the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act of 2000. The Act is to relieve those who applied for immigrant visas on or before December 21, 2000.
The V visa is available to those beneficiaries that satisfy the following conditions:
1. An immigrant petition (I-130) must have been filed by the sponsor for the beneficiary on or before December 21, 2000.
2. The beneficiary must have been waiting for at least three years since the time the I - 130 was filed.
The V visa is available regardless of whether the beneficiary is waiting for the I-130 to be approved or for an F2A visa. With this visa, the nuclear family can achieve unity in the U.S. The spouse can work and the child can go to school. International travel is permitted. The V visa remains valid as long as the underlying immigrant petition is valid.
While the V visa is still available to those who satisfy the conditions, it is effectively no longer useful since the sunset date was December 21, 2000. Those who missed this deadline have no relief. Approximately 1,000,000 spouses/minor children of the lawful permanent residents are standing in the waiting line of 5-6 years for immigrant visas without being allowed to live with their spouses/parents in the U.S.
Visa processing can be difficult and confusing. If you would like the assistance of an experienced immigration lawyer, please contact us or call our office at 1-415-601-0210 to schedule a consultation today.
Legal Disclaimer
Content on this site is intended for generalized information reasons. It may become out of date at any time due to changes in the law. It is not intended to offer case-specific legal advice nor should it be deemed valid or accurate for that reason. If in fact you have an exact immigration related legal issue, we recommend you consult with an experienced immigration attorney or immigration lawyer. There exists disclaimers throughout our website stating that we are not an official U.S. Government website.
Contact San Francisco Immigration Lawyer Marko Mikin.
Copyright © 2009 Marko Mikin, Attorney at Law. All rights reserved.
