Today we will learn everything about the so-called US O-3 Visa, a kind of O visa allowing non-American citizens to reside in the US. Get to know what exactly is a US O-3 Visa, who can apply for it, how to apply and many other details.
US O Visas Group
US O visas are particularly designed for foreigners with extraordinary professional skills or quite specialized education in arts, sciences, or businesses, among others. Applicants having international recognition for previous work will be specially taken into account.
The United States of America provides people from all over the world with the possibility of coming to the US, looking for the benefit of both the applicant, who can accept a received job offer, and the US, having scarce resources in a particular professional sector or low demand for a given occupation.
Types of US O visas
The US O visa group is made up of three variants:
- O-1 Visa: applicants can prove exceptional talent and vocational training in a particular professional field or discipline.
- O-2 Visa: applicants are assistants or part of the staff of the O-1 visa applicant or holder.
- O-3 Visa: applicants are closed family members to O-1 or O-2 visa applicants. Keep reading to learn more.
US O-3 Visa
As commented previously, O-3 Visa allows O-1 and O-2’s families to come to the US, live and stay close to them. Nevertheless, not every family member of an O-1 or an O-2 visa holder can apply for a US O-3 Visa.
So who can apply for a US O-3 Visa? We are sorry to inform our readers that you can only apply for an O-3 Visa in case you are a spouse or unmarried children (under 21 years old) of an O-1 or O-2 visa holder. Any other family member or close relative do not qualify for the application process. Be aware that applicants must prove his or her relationship to the O-1/O-2 visa holder.
US O-3 visa’s validity is the same as O-1 or O-2 visa, meaning that your visa will be valid as long as your parent or spouse visa is. Anyway, before the visa expires, O-3 visa holders can change his or her status if they are eligible to apply for a different visa. For instance, when the principal visa holder in the family has an O-1 visa, you can apply for an EB-1 Green Card. If the principal visa holder has an O-2 visa, you can apply for other types of visa such as the H1B visa.
Pros and Cons of US O-3 Visa
Apart from staying close to your spouse or parent, you can benefit from many advantages while living in the US:
- Travel freely around the US, or leave and enter the territory as many times you’d like.
- Receive education.
- Open a new bank account in the US.
- Get a US driver’s license.
Unfortunately, O-3 visa holders are not allowed to work in the US. Be aware that your family can get into trouble if an O-3 visa holder is found working, it’s illegal.
Application Process
It does not matter if you apply together with the O-1/O-2 visa applicant or a time after he or she obtains the corresponding visa, but make sure to follow the different steps:
- Fill in and submit the DS-160 Form, which is done online. This form is not exclusive for O-3 visa applicants, since every single non-immigrant visa petitioner needs to complete it. You can find this form available at the Consular Electronic Application Center website.
- Once you have submitted the DS-160 Form, you can pay the O-3 visa fees ($190). Be aware that you may need to pay additional fees depending on your country of origin. And do not forget to get the payment receipts, you will need to show them.
- Schedule a visa interview in the same US Embassy where you are applying for a US O-3 visa. You will receive an interview confirmation letter, do not forget to bring it when attending your interview. Only people younger than 14 or older than 78 are exempted from scheduling an interview.
- Collect the required documents before your visa interview, you are obliged to take them with you. Do not worry if you don’t know what is the required documentation yet, we will talk about it in the following section.
- The last step is the interview. You will be notified whether you obtain the visa or not in two or three months.
Required Documents
- Proof that you have completed the DS-160 Form.
- Receipt confirming that O-3 visa fees have been paid.
- Confirmation of your visa interview
- Copy of the applicant’s valid passport.
- The O-1/O-2 visa holder or applicant’s Form I-797, a copy of the visa and another of the passport.
- Evidence of your relationship with the O-1/O-2 visa holder or applicant such as a marriage certificate in the case of spouses and a birth certificate in the case of children.
- US Visa Photo. Be aware that you cannot submit any photo, it needs to comply with government guidelines. Read the following section and learn how to take the best US visa photo, from home and at an unbeatable price.
