United States•North America

Closed

V-3 — Derivative Child of V-1 or V-2

Residency Pathway PR PathwayThis visa can lead to permanent residency, the right to live and work here indefinitely without renewing your visa.

No longer accepting new applications

No V visas have been issued since approximately 2007. The State Department states it does not foresee any future issuance, as the backlog of I-130 petitions filed on or before December 21, 2000 has been substantially cleared.

At a Glance

Processing Time

3 months – 1 year

Application Fee

185 USD

Stay Duration

30 days

Not renewable

No dependents

PR pathway

No job offer needed

Remote work not required

Official Information

Living in United States

Cost of Living

Baseline

Avg Salary$51,000

Quality of Life

186/200

Full Country Guide

Overview

Child of a V-1 or V-2 visa holder. Note: largely obsolete since 2007.

The V-3 is a US derivative nonimmigrant status for unmarried children under 21 of V-1 or V-2 visa holders. Created by the LIFE Act of 2000 to reunite families caught in multi-year petition backlogs, it lets children live and work in the US while the parent's immigrant visa petition remained pending.

Status is granted in 2-year increments, terminating 30 days after the parent's I-130 or I-485 is decided. Dual intent is permitted and work authorization is available via EAD. The category has been obsolete since 2007 — the State Department no longer expects to issue V visas, as the pre-2000 backlog has cleared.

This visa is ideal for unmarried children under 21 of a V-1 or V-2 holder whose parent's I-130 was filed on or before December 21, 2000 and remains pending in the backlog queue.

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Must be the child of a person who is eligible for a V-1 or V-2 visa.

Must be unmarried and under 21 years of age.

Must meet the same underlying I-130 filing requirements as the V-1/V-2 principal (filed on or before Dec 21, 2000).

Must be otherwise admissible to the U.S.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport.

Birth certificate proving relationship to the V-1/V-2 holder.

Proof of the underlying I-130 petition filed by the LPR.

Form DS-160 or I-539 as applicable.

Medical examination records (if applying from within the U.S.).

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Allows children to join or remain with their parents in the U.S. while waiting for immigrant visa processing.
Provides a pathway to maintain family unity for those caught in long-standing immigration backlogs.
Allows for legal residence and study in the U.S.

Worth Knowing

Like the V-1, this is largely obsolete due to the December 21, 2000 filing deadline requirement.
Status is derivative and terminates if the parent's V status ends or if the LPR parent naturalizes.
The child must remain unmarried and under 21 to maintain eligibility.
Extremely limited utility for modern immigration cases.

Application Process

Follow the same application procedures as the V-1/V-2 principal.

If outside the U.S., apply via consular processing.

If inside the U.S., file Form I-539 with Supplement A.

Provide proof of relationship to the V-1 or V-2 holder and the LPR.

Application Forms

DS-160

Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application

Fill online

Verified Claims (36)

Last verified May 30, 2026

Application Steps

Follow the same application procedures as the V-1/V-2 principal.; If outside the U.S., apply via con…

travel.state.gov

Blockers

—

travel.state.gov

Can Convert To

—

travel.state.gov

Living in United States

Cost of Living

Baseline

Avg Salary$51,000

Quality of Life

186/200

Full Country Guide

Ready to see if the V-3 — Derivative Child of V-1 or V-2 is your visa path?

Discover how your answers compare with the published requirements. 2 minutes. Free trial.

Start Visa Discovery

Overview

Child of a V-1 or V-2 visa holder. Note: largely obsolete since 2007.

This visa is ideal for unmarried children under 21 of a V-1 or V-2 holder whose parent's I-130 was filed on or before December 21, 2000 and remains pending in the backlog queue.

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Must be the child of a person who is eligible for a V-1 or V-2 visa.

Must be unmarried and under 21 years of age.

Must meet the same underlying I-130 filing requirements as the V-1/V-2 principal (filed on or before Dec 21, 2000).

Must be otherwise admissible to the U.S.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport.

Birth certificate proving relationship to the V-1/V-2 holder.

Proof of the underlying I-130 petition filed by the LPR.

Form DS-160 or I-539 as applicable.

Medical examination records (if applying from within the U.S.).

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Allows children to join or remain with their parents in the U.S. while waiting for immigrant visa processing.
Provides a pathway to maintain family unity for those caught in long-standing immigration backlogs.
Allows for legal residence and study in the U.S.

Worth Knowing

Like the V-1, this is largely obsolete due to the December 21, 2000 filing deadline requirement.
Status is derivative and terminates if the parent's V status ends or if the LPR parent naturalizes.
The child must remain unmarried and under 21 to maintain eligibility.
Extremely limited utility for modern immigration cases.