HI Pat O, how long ago was this? My married friend recently tried to get a tourist visa for his wife and was denied since she is his wife and technically not a tourist...he lost to cost of applying for the visa.
2019. B-2 Tourist visa. Checking the US Gov website now no immigrant visa necessary for B-2 Visa. However, a K-3 visa appears to require both. No agency was needed. US website has list of requirements.
K visas are intended as a step towards immigration or residence in the USA. Form I-130, Petition For an Alien Relative, is used to immigrate foreign born relatives to the USA. For visas K-1 fiance, K-2 fiances children, K-3 spouse & K-4 spouses children, use form I-129F. The purpose of K-visas is to allow your foreign relative into the USA so they can be with you whilst I-130 is being processed. I could see using it would get you your family vacation but could skipping out or not following though with the immigration process effect any future attempt at immigration. A non-immigrant B-2 tourist visa would be form DS-160 https://travel.state.gov/content/tr...160-online-nonimmigrant-visa-application.html
