IR-2 — Unmarried Child (under 21) of U.S. Citizen

United States•North America

Open

IR-2 — Unmarried Child (under 21) of U.S. Citizen

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

At a Glance

Processing Time

10-18 months

Application Fee

1,185 USD

Stay Duration

Indefinite

Renewable

Job Offer

Not Required

Dependents

Not Specified

PR Pathway

Available

Remote Work

Allowed

Official Information

Living in United States

Cost of Living

Baseline

Avg Salary$51,000

Quality of Life

186/200

Full Country Guide

Overview

Immigrant visa for the unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen. Immediate relative, no cap.

The IR-2 is a US immigrant visa for the unmarried child under 21 of a US citizen. Classified as an immediate relative, it carries no annual cap or visa bulletin wait — the child is admitted directly as a lawful permanent resident upon entry.

No job offer or education is required. The petitioner files Form I-130 ($625 online), followed by DS-260 ($325) and the $220 USCIS immigrant fee — around $1,170 total. Children under 18 residing with a US citizen parent may automatically acquire citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.

This visa is ideal for minor children of US citizens living abroad who need a permanent, cap-exempt path to the US without employment or education prerequisites.

Fee Breakdown

I-130 (online)	625 USD
DS-260	325 USD
USCIS Immigrant Fee	235 USD

Processing Tracks

I-130 adjudication	10 months – 1.4 years
NVC + consular	3 months – 6 months

Stay & Extensions

Status type

Permanent / indefinite

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Child must be unmarried and under 21

Petitioner must be a U.S. citizen

Qualifying relationship: biological, adopted, or stepchild

No annual cap — immediate relative

Child must be admissible or obtain waiver

KEY CRITERIA

Education

none or higher

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

I-130 with evidence of relationship

DS-260

Proof of U.S. citizenship

Child's birth certificate

Valid passport

Police certificates (if 16+)

Medical exam results

I-864 Affidavit of Support

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

No annual cap
May acquire citizenship automatically
Unrestricted work authorization
No per-country limits

Worth Knowing

Must remain unmarried throughout process
May age out if turning 21 before visa issued
Medical exam results have limited validity

Application Process

U.S. citizen files I-130 with USCIS

USCIS approves and forwards to NVC

NVC collects fees and requests DS-260

NVC schedules consular interview

Medical examination

Consular interview

Enter U.S. as LPR

Pay USCIS Immigrant Fee ($220)

Application Forms

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative	Fill online
DS-260 Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application	Fill online
I-864 Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA	Fill online
DS-2054 Medical Examination for Immigrant or Refugee Applicant	Fill online

Verified Claims (25)

Last verified May 30, 2026

Application Steps	U.S. citizen files I-130 with USCIS; USCIS approves and forwards to NVC; NVC collects fees and reque…	travel.state.gov
Fee Breakdown	I-130 (online): 625 USD; DS-260: 325 USD; USCIS Immigrant Fee: 235 USD	travel.state.gov
Fee Breakdown · USCIS Immigrant Fee · amount	220	uscis.gov
Fees	$625 I-130 (online) + $325 DS-260 + $220 USCIS Immigrant Fee	uscis.gov
Forms	I-130; DS-260; I-864; DS-2054 (Medical)	travel.state.gov
Forms · DS-2054 · description	Medical Examination for Immigrant or Refugee Applicant	eforms.state.gov
Forms · DS-2054 · url	https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds2054.PDF	eforms.state.gov
Forms · DS-260 · description	Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application	travel.state.gov

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