IR-2 Unmarried Child Under 21 Years of Age of a U.S. Citizen

The IR-2 Immigrant Visa allows the unmarried children under 21 years of age of U.S. citizens to live permanently in the United States. As part of the Immediate Relative Visa category, there are no annual limits, making this one of the fastest routes to family-based immigration.

Key Features of the IR-2 Visa:

• Eligibility: The IR-2 visa is available to unmarried children under 21 years old of U.S. citizens. The applicant must be biologically related, adopted, or a stepchild under U.S. immigration law.
• Immediate Relative Category: As an immediate relative visa, there are no numerical caps or waiting lists. Once the petition is approved, the child can proceed directly to visa processing.
• Form I-130 Petition: The U.S. citizen parent must file Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to establish the qualifying parent-child relationship.
• Age Requirement: The child must be under 21 years of age and unmarried at the time the I-130 petition is received by USCIS. If the child turns 21 before visa issuance, the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) may help preserve eligibility in certain cases.
• Documentation: Applicants must submit valid proof of the parent-child relationship, such as birth certificates or adoption decrees, along with a valid passport, medical examination results, and civil documents.
• Consular Interview: Once the case is transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC), the child attends a visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of residence.
• Permanent Residency: After visa approval and entry into the U.S., the child becomes a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), granting the right to live, study, and work in the United States.
• Derivative Beneficiaries: If the IR-2 child has dependent children of their own (in rare cases), those dependents may qualify to accompany or follow under derivative visa provisions.
• Adopted or Stepchildren: Adopted children qualify if the adoption was completed before age 16, and stepchildren qualify if the marriage between the biological parent and U.S. citizen occurred before the child’s 18th birthday.
• Citizenship Eligibility: Upon entering the U.S. as permanent residents, children under 18 years old living in the legal and physical custody of their U.S. citizen parent automatically acquire U.S. citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

The IR-2 visa provides an efficient and secure pathway for U.S. citizens to reunite with their children and build a life together in the United States. At Visa2Migrate, we simplify the process by ensuring every stage — from petition filing to interview preparation — is completed with care and accuracy.