IR-5 — Parent of U.S. Citizen (Citizen 21+)

United States•North America

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IR-5 — Parent of U.S. Citizen (Citizen 21+)

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

1-2 years

Application Fee

2,280 USD

Stay Duration

Indefinite

Renewable

Yes

Job Offer

Not Required

Dependents

Not Specified

PR Pathway

Available

Remote Work

Allowed

Apply Now 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 parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old. Immediate relative, no cap.

The IR-5 grants US permanent residence to a parent of an adult citizen. As an Immediate Relative, no annual cap applies and petitions skip the priority queue.

Petitioner must be a U.S. citizen aged 21+. Qualifying parents are biological, adoptive, or stepparents. Parent receives a green card and full work authorization.

This visa is ideal for parents of adult U.S. citizens seeking permanent residence without waiting for a visa number.

Fee Breakdown

Form I-130 filing fee (paper)	675 USD
Form I-130 filing fee (online)	625 USD
NVC immigrant visa application processing fee (DS-260)	325 USD
NVC affidavit of support review fee	120 USD
USCIS Immigrant Fee (green card production, paid post-entry)	235 USD
Medical exam (panel physician fee, varies by location)	300 USD

Processing Tracks

Form I-130 adjudication (USCIS)	1 year – 2 years
NVC processing (document collection to interview scheduling)	3 months – 1 year
Consular interview to visa issuance	2 weeks – 3 months
Total consular processing (petition to green card)	1.5 years – 3 years

Stay & Extensions

Status type

Permanent / indefinite

Annual Cap & Quota

No cap — parents of U.S. citizens are immediate relatives, exempt from annual numerical limits

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Petitioner must be a U.S. citizen (not a lawful permanent resident)

Petitioner must be at least 21 years old

Qualifying parent: biological parent, adoptive parent (adoption before petitioner's 16th birthday), or stepparent (marriage occurred before petitioner turned 18)

Petitioner must meet minimum income requirement (125% of federal poverty guidelines) for Form I-864 Affidavit of Support

Parent must be admissible to the United States (no grounds of inadmissibility)

KEY CRITERIA

Education

none or higher

Min. Income

27,050 EUR/yr

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Proof of U.S. citizenship of petitioner (passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate)

Petitioner's birth certificate (showing parent's name)

Parent's birth certificate

Marriage certificate of petitioner's parents (if applicable)

Stepparent's marriage certificate (if applicable, showing marriage before petitioner's 18th birthday)

Adoption decree (if applicable, showing adoption before petitioner's 16th birthday)

Form I-864 Affidavit of Support with supporting financial evidence (tax returns, pay stubs, W-2s)

Medical exam results (completed by USCIS-authorized civil surgeon or panel physician abroad)

Police certificates from all countries where parent has lived

Two passport-style photographs

Valid passport (valid at least 6 months beyond intended entry)

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Immediate relative category — no annual visa cap, no priority date backlog
Grants lawful permanent residence (green card) immediately upon admission
Green card holder may live and work in the U.S. indefinitely
Eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship after 5 years as LPR (3 years if married to U.S. citizen)
Can file I-130 and I-485 concurrently if parent is already lawfully in the U.S.
No job offer required
No language test or education requirement

Worth Knowing

Petitioner must be a U.S. citizen — green card holders (LPRs) cannot sponsor parents
Petitioner must be 21 or older — citizenship at younger ages does not qualify
Petitioner must demonstrate financial ability to support parent at 125% of federal poverty level
Public charge inadmissibility ground applies — USCIS evaluates totality of circumstances
Prior criminal convictions (especially aggravated felonies, crimes involving moral turpitude, drug offenses) may render parent inadmissible
Parent must remain admissible — prior immigration violations, fraud, or unlawful presence bars may apply
Medical inadmissibility can be an issue; certain communicable diseases or lack of required vaccinations must be addressed
I-130 approval does not guarantee visa issuance — consular officer makes final admissibility determination
Fees are non-refundable even if petition is denied
Processing times are long and variable; check uscis.gov/processing-times for current estimates

Application Process

U.S. citizen child files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) with USCIS

Wait for I-130 approval (no priority date needed — immediate relative category has no annual cap)

Approved petition transferred to National Visa Center (NVC)

Pay NVC fees and submit documents (Form DS-261, Form I-864, civil documents) via CEAC portal

Beneficiary completes Form DS-260 (Online Immigrant Visa Application) at NVC stage

NVC forwards case to U.S. Embassy or Consulate in parent's home country

Parent completes medical exam with USCIS-designated physician (Form I-693 equivalent / civil surgeon abroad)

Attend immigrant visa interview at U.S. Embassy or Consulate

If approved, receive IR-5 immigrant visa stamp in passport

Enter the United States (admission creates lawful permanent residence)

Pay USCIS Immigrant Fee ($235) to trigger green card production

Receive Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card by mail

Application Forms

Go to application portal

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative	Fill online
DS-260 Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application	Fill online
DS-261 Choice of Address and Agent	—
I-864 Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA	Fill online

Verified Claims (25)

Last verified May 30, 2026

Application Steps	U.S. citizen child files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) with USCIS; Wait for I-130 approva…	uscis.gov
Fee Breakdown	Form I-130 filing fee (paper): 675 USD; Form I-130 filing fee (online): 625 USD; NVC immigrant visa …	uscis.gov
Fee Breakdown · 4 · amount	220	uscis.gov
Fees	$675 I-130 filing fee (paper) / $625 online + $325 NVC immigrant visa fee + $120 NVC affidavit of su…	uscis.gov
Forms	Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative); Form DS-260 (Online Immigrant Visa Application); Form DS-2…	uscis.gov
Forms · DS-260 · description	Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application	travel.state.gov
Forms · DS-261 · description	Choice of Address and Agent	travel.state.gov
Forms · I-130 · description	Petition for Alien Relative	uscis.gov

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