| Many bi-national couples become bewildered by the | | | | petitions are usually arriving either before their I-129f |
| US visa process as there are many different | | | | counterpart or at the same time. Should this happen, |
| categories to choose from. This article is primarily | | | | the I-129F application will be "administratively closed" |
| focused on the United States K-3 visa and the recent | | | | and the couple will have no choice but to seek either |
| announcement that certain K-3 visa files will be | | | | an IR1 visa or a CR1 visa. |
| summarily closed upon receipt by the National Visa | | | | As long as the USCIS is processing an I-130 petition in |
| Center. The following is quoted from a recent US | | | | the same amount of time as an I-129f application, the |
| State Department Notice: | | | | K3 marriage visa is difficult to obtain because the |
| "Important Notice: Effective February 1st, 2010, when | | | | supplemental I-129F petition will be administratively |
| both the I-129F petition for a non immigrant K visa and | | | | closed if it gets to the National Visa Center at the |
| the I-130 petition for an IR-1 (or CR-1) spouse of a U.S. | | | | same time or after the I-130 petition. |
| citizen visa have been approved by USCIS and sent | | | | In a way, the National Visa Center has devised an |
| to the National Visa Center (NVC), the availability as | | | | elegant solution to processing concerns as the K-3 |
| well as the need for a non immigrant K-3 visa ends. If | | | | category was designed to provide expedited |
| the NVC receives both petitions: The non immigrant K | | | | processing if the adjudication of an I-130 is unduly |
| visa will be administratively closed. The application | | | | delayed at the United States Citizenship and |
| process explained below will not be applicable and | | | | Immigration Service (USCIS). By only processing I-129f |
| cannot be used..."* | | | | petitions for those marriage visas where the I-130 has |
| What does this announcement mean in real terms? | | | | seemingly yet to be processed by USCIS, the NVC is |
| Upon the date of the original publication of this article, | | | | increasing the efficiency of their operation by not |
| the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service | | | | processing what is perceived to be a superfluous |
| (USCIS) is processing I-130 petitions very efficiently | | | | travel document while processing those I-129f petitions |
| compared to past processing estimates. The result of | | | | that fit with the original policy of creating the K-3 visa |
| this relatively quick adjudication process is that I-130 | | | | category in the first place. |