Understanding the IR5 visa for parents of U.S. citizens
Green Card (Child)
What is the IR-2 Visa?
The IR-2 visa allows the child of a U.S. citizen living outside the United States to lawfully enter and live in the country.
Is the IR-2 right for me?
If you are a U.S. citizen and have a child outside the United States who is not a green card holder or a U.S. citizen, then they may be eligible to use the IR-2 visa as long as they are under the age of 21 and unmarried.
The IR-2 visa is also available if you are adopting a child outside the United States. Visas are issued at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the foreign country where a child resides. Since a child being adopted will usually be brought to live in the United States, your child will need an immigrant visa.
This guide will explain the process for obtaining an IR2 visa for your child.
IR-2 Visa Timeline
The total processing time for an IR-2 child visa is anywhere from 17-24 months. The processing time used to be much quicker but the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant delays.
The best way to ensure your application doesn’t get delayed is to file all your paperwork correctly the first time around. With Boundless, our team will help you steer clear of common mistakes and make sure your forms and documents are ready for attorney review. We can also help you include your children on your green card application for just $450 per child. Check your family’s eligibility here.
IR-2 Visa Cost
The government filing fees for applying for an IR-2 child visa is $1,080. Note, this does not include the cost of the medical examination, which varies from roughly $200 to $500. We’ll go over the cost breakdown in the sections below.
Not sure what costs to expect? Boundless’ USCIS fee calculator can help determine the exact government fees for your IR-2 application. We also help you pay your costs in installments, so you can get started now and pay later. Create a free account to use our fee calculator and explore your payment options.
IR-2 Visa Eligibility
The requirements for an IR-2 visa are:
Do you have confidential questions about your eligibility for an IR2 visa? Boundless can guide your entire family through the entire green card process and answer any questions you may have.
The IR-2 Visa Process
The IR2 visa is part of the IR category (which stands for “Immediate Relative”), which has no yearly caps, meaning there is no wait until a green card becomes available.
Step 1: Establishing the Parent/Child Relationship
The first step to bringing a child to the United States is to file Form I-130 (officially called the “Petition for an Alien Relative”) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The main purpose of Form I-130 is to establish that a valid parent/child relationship exists.
A COMPLETE I-130 FILING PACKAGE INCLUDES:
When the I-130 filing package is ready, it must be mailed to the appropriate USCIS address. Within about two week, USCIS will send the sponsoring parent a receipt notice in the mail.
If USCIS needs more evidence or information to process the application they will send the sponsoring parent a Request for Evidence (RFE) within 2–3 months.
Step 2: Apply for the Green Card (Form DS-260)
Once Form -130 is approved, the parent will be required to file Form DS-260 (immigrant visa application) with the National Visa Center (NVC), which is run by the State Department. The NVC gathers the required forms and supporting documents and decides whether the child is ready for an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad (known as “consular processing”).
A COMPLETE NVC FILING PACKAGE INCLUDES:
The embassy and consulate will then schedule an interview for you and your child. Prior to the interview, your child will need to have a medical examination. If the interview is successful, the visa will be granted and your child will be able to immigrate to the United States.
If your child enters the United States on the IR-2 visa when they are under 18 years old, they will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship if they reside in the United States with their parents. If they enter while over 18 years old, they become permanent residents and receive a green card.
Common questions
The IR2 visa is part of the IR category (which stands for “Immediate Relative”), which has no yearly caps, meaning there is no wait until a green card becomes available.
Step 1: Establishing the Parent/Child Relationship
The first step to bringing a child to the United States is to file Form I-130 (officially called the “Petition for an Alien Relative”) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The main purpose of Form I-130 is to establish that a valid parent/child relationship exists.
A COMPLETE I-130 FILING PACKAGE INCLUDES:
When the I-130 filing package is ready, it must be mailed to the appropriate USCIS address. Within about two week, USCIS will send the sponsoring parent a receipt notice in the mail.
If USCIS needs more evidence or information to process the application they will send the sponsoring parent a Request for Evidence (RFE) within 2–3 months.
Step 2: Apply for the Green Card (Form DS-260)
Once Form -130 is approved, the parent will be required to file Form DS-260 (immigrant visa application) with the National Visa Center (NVC), which is run by the State Department. The NVC gathers the required forms and supporting documents and decides whether the child is ready for an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad (known as “consular processing”).
A COMPLETE NVC FILING PACKAGE INCLUDES:
The NVC then forwards the application package to a U.S. embassy or consulate in the home country of the child seeking a green card.
The embassy and consulate will then schedule an interview for you and your child. Prior to the interview, your child will need to have a medical examination. If the interview is successful, the visa will be granted and your child will be able to immigrate to the United States.
If your child enters the United States on the IR-2 visa when they are under 18 years old, they will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship if they reside in the United States with their parents. If they enter while over 18 years old, they become permanent residents and receive a green card.
IR-2 Visa Interview
Your child will be required to attend an interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the city or country they live in. Your child will be asked questions about their relationship to you, in order to verify that their visa application is genuine. They will need to bring:
Finally, if the visa application fees were collected by NVC, the sponsor does not need to pay again. However, if the sponsor or any family member did not pay all the necessary fees, they will be asked to pay any unpaid fees at the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Common questions
Is the IR-2 visa only intended for adopted children?
The IR2 visa can be used for all children of U.S. citizen parents, and the requirements remain the same. The child must be unmarried and under 21 years old.
My children are all aged 21 or older. Can I still use this visa type?
Maybe. There is recourse through the Child Status Protection Act for children that turned 21 while waiting for their case’s adjudication.
How do you petition for a stepchild?
U.S. citizens can apply for an IR-2 visa for their stepchild/stepchildren much the same as they can for a biological child. The caveat is that the child’s birth parent and stepparent must have been married before the child turned 18. The stepparent does not need to formally adopt the stepchild in order to apply.
If the stepchild is under 21 and unmarried, they qualify as an “immediate relative” of their American citizen stepparent. This means they can apply for an IR2 visa without waiting for a green card to become available.
If the stepchild is married or over 21, they don’t qualify as an immediate relative, and will have to wait for a visa to become available. This process usually takes a number of years.
I am adopting a child outside the United States, but cannot live with them for two years. Are there other visas?
Yes, depending on the country you are adopting from. See the USCIS guide on adopting a child from abroad.
I am a green card holder — can I use this visa for my children?
The IR-2 visa is only available to U.S. citizens.
Not sure if you qualify for an IR2 visa? You can check your eligibility with Boundless. When you’re ready to apply, Boundless can guide your entire family through every milestone of the process, starting with your green card application all the way to the finish line.