Settling in the USA with EB3 Visa – The Solution to Long Waiting Lines of F3 Category

More than a decade of waiting is a major concern for many Vietnamese families who wish to settle in the USA through the traditional family sponsorship category. In reality, the F3 category is facing serious case backlogs, causing processing times to stretch from 10-15 years. Against this backdrop, the EB3 Visa has emerged as a promising alternative, helping to reduce the process to just 2-5 years.

1. The Major Challenge of Family Sponsorship Categories

The F3 Visa is a family sponsorship program that allows U.S. citizens to support their married children and their families. However, this category faces a significant obstacle: only about 23,400 visas are issued annually, while the demand for applications far exceeds this number. As a result, hundreds of thousands of families find themselves stuck in an endless waiting period.

The average processing time currently ranges from 10-15 years, and in many cases, it’s even longer depending on how severe the case backlog is. For those over 21 years old who hope to build a stable future in America, this long wait is not just a matter of patience—it’s a significant delay in pursuing job opportunities in the United States.

2. Why the EB3 Program Stands Out as an Effective Solution

As settling in the USA becomes increasingly complex with time-related barriers, the EB3 employment-based green card has proven its strength through rapid case processing. One of the most striking advantages of the EB3 program compared to the F3 category is significantly shorter processing times—just 2-5 years for the entire process instead of waiting a decade or longer.

This means that if you start processing your EB3 Visa application right now, you could obtain your U.S. green card in less than half the time it would take through the traditional F3 route. Instead of continuing to wait in uncertainty, settling in the USA through the employment-based pathway will help you start a new chapter of your life in America much sooner.

3. Entry Requirements Are Not as Complicated as You Think

Many people believe that the EB3 program requires high education levels or exceptional professional skills. However, the reality—especially with the EB3 Other Workers category—is that the main requirement is simply that you’re healthy enough to perform routine work. Even more importantly, the EB3 Skilled Workers category has processing times of just 2-3 years and only requires workers to have a diploma or 2 years of experience in a specific job position.

Common job positions in the EB3 program include:

• Meat, fish, and food processing and packaging workers
• Fast food service workers
• Manufacturing technicians and auto repair workers

You don’t need to be fluent in English, which makes the EB3 Visa suitable for many different groups of people, opening up opportunities for those seeking an effective way to settle in the USA.

4. Equivalent Benefits but Shorter Waiting Times

Both the F3 Visa and the EB3 program grant a 10-year green card to the applicant and family, including spouse and children under 21 years old. A green card opens countless opportunities for legal employment, education, and access to healthcare and social benefits in America. However, instead of waiting over a decade to hold the green card like the F3 category, with the EB3 Visa, you only need 2-5 years to have your green card in hand and begin building a career in your new country.

5. Reducing Risk from Policy Changes

U.S. immigration policy isn’t always stable. Unexpected changes such as visa quota adjustments or modifications to family sponsorship requirements can significantly impact the processing of F3 category applications.

Conversely, the EB3 program is built on the basis of America’s labor needs—a factor that is always prioritized to ensure the country’s economic development. Therefore, the EB3 Visa is less affected by policy fluctuations, and in fact, this program has operated and maintained stability for over 30 years.

By opening an application for settling in the USA through the EB3 program right now, you not only take control of the opportunity but also create a diversified immigration pathway, minimizing unforeseen risks in the future.

6. Protecting Your Children’s Interests

When the waiting time for the F3 category stretches to 10-15 years or longer, there’s a major risk that your children may exceed the dependent age threshold (21 years old) before the application is approved. This could result in a situation where your family cannot reunite as hoped.

If you open an additional EB3 Visa application, you only need 2-6 years for the entire process, while your children are protected under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). This significantly reduces the risk of your children aging out of your immigration application.

If you estimate that when your F3 application is approved, your children will already be over 21, you should seriously consider the EB3 program as an alternative or parallel pathway. This is a smart strategy that many families waiting for F4 sponsorship applications also use to protect their children’s rights.

7. Filing F3 and EB3 in Parallel – A Smart Approach

A common question from those interested in U.S. settlement programs is: Can I file both applications simultaneously without them affecting each other? The answer is yes. The F3 category and the EB3 program are two independent settlement programs, and there is no specific USCIS regulation requiring you to file only one application.

Filing an EB3 Visa does not affect the processing of your F3 sponsorship application and vice versa, as long as you meet all the requirements of each program. While waiting for the F3 category approval, you can completely move forward with your EB3 Visa to take advantage of its benefits early, gain experience living in the USA, and then continue pursuing the F3 option if needed.

However, filing both applications in parallel must be done carefully to ensure consistency in your information and documents. When submitting both an F3 application and an EB3 Visa application simultaneously, you should seek assistance from a reputable and experienced immigration consulting firm. They can analyze your immigration pathway carefully, prepare accurate documents, and thereby increase the success rate of your U.S. green card application.

8. Conclusion

If you’re waiting on an F3 application and unsure when it will be approved, the EB3 Visa is certainly worth serious consideration as an alternative solution or a parallel pathway with great potential. With processing times twice as fast, simple entry requirements yet offering the opportunity to establish your life in America much sooner, the EB3 program is not just a backup plan—it’s a smart strategy to turn your dream of settling in the USA into reality.

Newland USA, with its team of experienced experts and the motto “Settle Down Firmly—Prosper Forever,” is ready to consult and support you in preparing your application and accompany you throughout the entire EB3 settlement process in the USA. Contact Newland USA right now at hotline 0785591988 or email: newsletter@newlandusa.asia for detailed and free consultation.