The criteria for the IR2 visa are not as extensive as some other types of visa. The child of the US citizen must be:

• Under 21 years old.
• Unmarried.
• Living in a foreign country.
• Has been living with adoptive US citizen parents for at least 2 years.

Besides the criteria for the child who will be applying for the IR2 visa, the US citizen must fulfill these criteria:

• Consent to adopting an unmarried child under 21 years old from a foreign country.
• Be a US citizen.
• Have adopted the child from a foreign country and lived with them for 2 years.

Possible Issues and Red Flags

You are either the relative of a U.S. citizen or green card holder or you’re not. Here are some reasons why your family-based green card or IR2 Visa might be denied:

1. Missing documents
2. Incorrect paperwork
3. Violation of Immigration Policies
4. Denial on Health Grounds
5. Past Criminal Record
6. Issues with Document Translations
7. Insufficient Filing fees

Your path to citizenship is Wikivisa’s foremost priority. We have one of the highest success rate in the industry and have helped hundreds of families reunite and achieve the American dream.

Process:

The application process for the IR2 visa follows similar patterns to other types of family based visas. It has two main parts:

• The US citizen petitions for the child to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• When the petition is approved, the child must apply to a US Embassy or Consulate in their home country

This shows that the application procedure must start within the US, with the US citizen petitioning to the authorities.

Filing the Petition

The petition can be done by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relatives. The US citizen must fill the petition in all the necessary sections and then submit it to USCIS. There is also a fee which the US citizen must pay in order to process the petition.

The petition will then go through the Department of Homeland Security and processed within a few months. The US citizen will be notified about the status when the processing is complete. If the petition is denied, USCIS will let you know what the reasons were for the denial. If the petition is approved, it will then go to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will then be your main contact for the IR2 visa.

The NVC will send a package with information and instructions to the applicant in a foreign country. The package will also include the case number and invoice ID number. This number serves to start the application from the US Embassy or Consulate in the foreign country.

Applying for the IR2 visa

Since the Immediate Relative Visas do not have a cap on the number issued each year, applicants do not need to wait for their priority dates to become current. Immediately after USCIS approves the petition, the applicant in the foreign country can begin their application at a US Embassy or Consulate. Since the child is a minor, they may have someone help them with their application. The US citizen does not have many duties in this part of the application.

File Form DS-260

Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application is the form which all applicants for immigrant visas must submit. The application can be accessed by using the NVC case number which links it to your case and the approved petition. The IR2 visa applicant or someone helping them must fill out all the necessary sections, which will have questions related to the applicant’s information, background, and purpose of immigrating to the US. When you submit the DS-260 form, you will get a confirmation page and number which you must attach to your supporting documents.

Complete medical examination and vaccination

The US has certain medical and vaccination requirements which its citizens and immigrants must fulfill. Anyone who wants to immigrate to the US must get the necessary medical check-ups and vaccines. The NVC package which the applicant received after the approval of the petition will specify what medical procedures the applicant must complete and the vaccines they need to get. Only a licensed doctor who will sign them can complete the documents and the check-ups. These documents will be attached to your supporting file which you will then send to the NVC.

Compile documents file

Besides the application form, you must also attach various supporting documents to give NVC a better reason as to why you should be allowed to immigrate to the US with an IR2 visa.

The IR2 visa file must contain the following required documents:

• Your valid passport for more than 6 months after your planned entry into the US
• A signed Form I-864, Affidavit of Support from the US petitioner (applicant’s parent)
• Form DS-260 confirmation page
• Medical examination and vaccination documents
• Two photographs per individual according to the US Visa Photo Requirements
• Court and criminal records and/or police certificate
• If you served in the military, you must bring your military records

Attend interview

Every immigrant applicant for the US must attend an interview at the US Embassy or Consulate where they are applying. The NVC will first make sure that you have submitted all the necessary documents and then will schedule the interview.

Since in this case, the applicant is a child, they may be accompanied by a caretaker. The child will be asked questions about who they are and the officials will determine whether the child can get the IR2 visa.

Receive NVC packet and travel to the US.

If the child’s IR2 visa is approved, they can travel to the US freely. The visa will be stamped on their passport and the Embassy will give them a package which the child must bring to the US when they first enter the country. You should not open this package under any circumstances. Only the US immigrant officials at any US point of entry will open it and decide whether the applicant can enter the country or not.