ImmigrantImmediate relativeNo annual capForm I-130Under 21, unmarried

IR-2 Child of a U.S. Citizen

An immigrant visa for the unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen, including stepchildren and certain adopted children; CR-2 is the conditional version for stepchildren through a recent marriage.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 2026Sources: USCIS · Department of StateReport an error

At a glance

Who files: U.S. citizen parent or stepparent, Form I-130
Child’s age and status: Under 21 and unmarried
Visa numbers: Always available (immediate relative)
Petition fee: $675 paper / $625 online
Visa fee: $325
Age-out protection: Age frozen on the I-130 filing date (CSPA)

Entry restrictions for 39 nationalities. Under Proclamation 10998 (effective Jan. 1, 2026), immigrant entry is suspended for nationals of all 39 listed countries and for Palestinian Authority travel-document holders, and family members of people in the United States are no longer a categorical exception. Remaining exceptions include dual nationals travelling on a non-listed country’s passport and case-by-case national-interest exceptions; the proclamation applies to people outside the United States without a valid visa on the effective date. A separate State Department pause on immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries (from Jan. 21, 2026) is, per the State Department, no longer in effect as of Aug. 21, 2026 following the court’s order in CLINIC v. Rubio.

Overview

Unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens are immediate relatives, so they never wait for a visa number. The IR-2 covers a citizen’s biological child, a stepchild if the marriage creating the relationship took place before the child turned 18, and an adopted child who meets the 2-year custody and residence rule.

CR-2 is the conditional classification for a stepchild when the parent’s marriage to the citizen is less than 2 years old at visa issuance (9 FAM 502.2). A CR-2 child receives a 2-year Green Card and must remove conditions with Form I-751, usually on the parent’s petition.

The Child Status Protection Act freezes an immediate-relative child’s age on the date the I-130 is filed, so a child under 21 at filing does not age out — but the child must stay unmarried (USCIS).

Who qualifies

The child must be

Unmarried and under 21 (age as of I-130 filing, under CSPA).
The citizen’s biological child (additional evidence rules apply to a child born out of wedlock petitioned for by the father), or
A stepchild whose parent married the citizen before the child’s 18th birthday, or
An adopted child: adoption finalized before age 16 (18 for a birth sibling) and at least 2 years of legal and physical custody before the I-130 is filed (USCIS).

Financial sponsorship

The petitioner must file Form I-864 and meet 125% of the HHS poverty guidelines for the household — e.g. $34,150 for a household of three in the 48 contiguous states under the guidelines effective March 1, 2026 — or use assets or a joint sponsor.

Duration & extensions

IR-2	Permanent residence; 10-year Green Card
CR-2	Conditional residence for 2 years, then Form I-751
Citizenship	A biological or qualifying adopted child under 18 living in the citizen parent’s legal and physical custody acquires citizenship automatically under INA 320; stepchildren do not

Fees

USCIS fees from the 10/01/26 fee schedule; State Department fees from 22 CFR 22.1.

Fee	Amount	Who pays	Notes
Form I-130 petition	$675 paper / $625 online	U.S. citizen	One petition per beneficiary.
Immigrant visa application fee	$325	Beneficiary	Immediate relative and family preference applications, 22 CFR 22.1 item 32(a); paid through the National Visa Center.
Affidavit of Support review	$120	Sponsor	Charged only when the I-864 is reviewed domestically (22 CFR 22.1 item 34).
USCIS Immigrant Fee	$235	Immigrant	Paid online after visa issuance; the Green Card is not produced until it is paid.
Panel-physician medical exam	Varies	Beneficiary	Paid directly to the panel physician.
Form I-485 (if in the U.S.)	$1,440 paper / $1,390 online	Beneficiary	Instead of the visa and Immigrant Fee; $950/$900 for a child under 14 filing with a parent. Only the 09/18/26 edition is accepted for filings on or after Sept. 18, 2026.

Form N-600 (Certificate of Citizenship) costs $1,385 paper / $1,335 online, with no fee for certain adopted children. The Visa Integrity Fee applies only to nonimmigrant visas.

Processing time

Visa number wait: None; Immediate relatives are not subject to the Visa Bulletin.

Times vary; see egov.uscis.gov/processing-times for I-130 times.

Application steps

1
File Form I-130
The citizen parent files one I-130 per child with proof of the parent-child relationship.
2
National Visa Center
Pay the $325 visa fee and submit Form DS-260, civil documents and Form I-864.
3
Medical exam and interview
The child attends a panel-physician exam and the consular interview (with a parent if a minor).
4
Pay the Immigrant Fee and travel
Pay the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee and enter the United States on the immigrant visa.
5
Green Card or citizenship evidence
USCIS mails a Green Card; eligible children may then apply for a Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600).

Required documents

Relationship evidence

Child’s birth certificate naming the petitioning parent.
For a stepchild: the marriage certificate showing the marriage before age 18, and proof prior marriages ended.
For an adopted child: the final adoption decree and evidence of 2 years of legal and physical custody.
Proof of the petitioner’s U.S. citizenship.

For the visa

Passport, Form DS-260 confirmation, police certificates where required, medical report, and Form I-864 with financial evidence.

Dependents & family

None. An IR-2 child cannot have derivatives; a married child of a citizen falls into F3 and an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older into F1.

After you arrive

IR-2 children are permanent residents on admission; some also become citizens at that moment.

Step 1

Green Card by mail

USCIS issues a Green Card to every IR-2 child, because the category includes stepchildren who do not acquire citizenship (USCIS).

Step 2

Certificate of Citizenship

A child who met INA 320 on admission can file Form N-600 for proof of citizenship.

Step 3

CR-2 conditions

File Form I-751, normally included on the parent’s petition, in the 90 days before the card expires.

IR-3 / IR-4

Orphan adopted by a U.S. citizen

Intercountry adoption route without the 2-year custody rule.

Unmarried son or daughter of a citizen, 21+

Once the child is 21 (after CSPA).

Married son or daughter of a citizen

If the child marries.

F2A

Child of a permanent resident

If the parent is not a citizen.

CR-1

Conditional spouse of a citizen

The parent’s visa when the marriage is recent.

Common questions

What if the child turns 21 during processing?

For immediate relatives, CSPA freezes the age on the date the I-130 is filed. A child under 21 then stays an immediate relative if unmarried.

Can a citizen petition for a stepchild?

Yes, if the marriage to the child’s parent took place before the child’s 18th birthday.

Does an IR-2 child become a citizen automatically?

A biological or qualifying adopted child under 18 who resides in the citizen parent’s legal and physical custody acquires citizenship under INA 320. Stepchildren do not, so USCIS issues Green Cards to all IR-2 children.

Official sources

Recent changes

Aug 31, 2026
New Form I-864 edition (08/24/26) required from Oct. 1, 2026. USCIS published a new edition of the Affidavit of Support with a credit-report privacy release. After a 30-day grace period, USCIS accepts only the 08/24/26 edition for filings postmarked or submitted on or after Oct. 1, 2026. Source ↗
Aug 24, 2026
Court enjoins USCIS adjudication holds for nationals of 39 countries. In Red Eagle Law v. Edlow (N.D. Cal.), the court enjoined PM-602-0192 and PM-602-0194 and certified a class; USCIS says it will adjudicate covered applications in the normal course while litigation continues. Source ↗
Aug 21, 2026
75-country immigrant visa issuance pause no longer in effect. The State Department paused immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries from Jan. 21, 2026, citing public-charge review. Following the court’s order in CLINIC v. Rubio, the State Department says the pause is no longer in effect as of Aug. 21, 2026. Source ↗
Jul 20, 2026
DHS rescinds the 2022 public charge rule (effective Sept. 18, 2026). Final rule restoring broader officer discretion in public charge determinations. It applies to applications for admission made, and adjustment applications postmarked or submitted, on or after Sept. 18, 2026. Source ↗
Jun 5, 2026
Court vacates USCIS hold policies on pending applications. In Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS (D.R.I.), the court vacated PM-602-0192, PM-602-0194 and PA-2025-26 (final judgment June 11, 2026). USCIS says it will follow the order pending possible further review. Source ↗
Dec 16, 2025
Proclamation 10998 expands entry restrictions to 39 countries (effective Jan. 1, 2026). Suspends immigrant entry for nationals of every listed country and removes the broad family-based immigrant visa exception that Proclamation 10949 had contained; remaining exceptions are narrow, plus case-by-case national-interest exceptions. Source ↗
Aug 1, 2025
USCIS family-based petition guidance. Policy Manual update on screening, interviews and decisions for family-based petitions; clarifies that USCIS may issue a Notice to Appear if a beneficiary is otherwise removable, because an I-130 grants no status. Source ↗
Jun 4, 2025
Proclamation 10949 restricts entry from 19 countries (effective June 9, 2025). Originally exempted immediate-relative immigrant visas (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5) with clear and convincing evidence of the relationship, and adoption visas (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4). Those exceptions were superseded by Proclamation 10998. Source ↗
Apr 1, 2024
USCIS fee rule takes effect. The fee schedule final rule (89 FR 6194, published Jan. 31, 2024) set current family-based fees, including separate online and paper fees for Form I-130 and folding biometrics into the filing fees. Source ↗

This page is general reference material compiled from the official sources above and is not legal advice. Eligibility depends on individual facts; rules and fees change, so confirm with the agency before you file. VisaTypes.com is not affiliated with USCIS, the Department of State or any government agency. Spotted an error? Tell us.