# IR-2 Visa: Green Card for the Child of a U.S. Citizen (2026)

> Altius Immigration Law PLLC is a U.S. immigration law firm in Washington, D.C., serving clients in all 50 states. Principal attorney: André Matias. Practice areas: green cards, family-based immigration, employment-based and temporary work visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1, P-1), investment visas (E-2), adjustment of status, and citizenship & naturalization.

Source: https://altius.law/blog/ir2-child-visa-improved/

Summary: IR-2 visa: the green card for an unmarried child (under 21) of a U.S. citizen. Who qualifies, the aging-out / CSPA rule, and how it differs from F2A.

##### Family-based green card

# IR-2 Visa: Green Card for the Child of a U.S. Citizen (2026)

If you are a U.S. citizen and you want to bring your child to live with you permanently, the **IR-2 visa** is usually the path. It is the immigrant visa — and green card — for the **unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen.**

Because an IR-2 child is an **immediate relative**, there is no annual cap on these visas and no waiting in line for a visa number to become available. That is the single biggest advantage of the IR-2 over the categories that apply to children of green-card holders. This page explains who qualifies, the under-21 rule and the aging-out concern that worries most parents, how the IR-2 differs from the F2A and IR-5 categories, and what the process looks like.

## Who Qualifies for an IR-2 Visa

To use the IR-2 category, three things have to be true at the core of the case:

-   **The parent is a U.S. citizen.** If the sponsoring parent is a lawful permanent resident (green-card holder) rather than a citizen, the child falls under a different category — F2A — covered below.
-   **The child is unmarried and under 21.** Marriage takes a child out of the IR-2 category entirely, at any age. Turning 21 normally does too — but the Child Status Protection Act can change that, which is the next section.
-   **A qualifying parent-child relationship exists.** IR-2 covers a biological child, a stepchild (if the marriage creating the step-relationship happened before the child turned 18), and an adopted child (where the adoption was finalized before the child turned 16, with limited exceptions).

A U.S.-citizen parent starts the case by filing **Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative,** to establish that relationship.

## The Under-21 Rule and Aging Out (CSPA)

A worry that comes up often is: *"My child is close to 21 — what happens if they turn 21 before the case finishes?"* Turning 21 is called **"aging out,"** and without protection it would push the child out of the IR-2 category.

For children of U.S. citizens, the **Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)** answers this directly and favorably. For an immediate relative, CSPA **freezes the child's age on the date the I-130 petition is filed.** In plain terms: if your child was under 21 on the day you filed the I-130, they are treated as under 21 for the IR-2 case **even if they turn 21 while it is pending** — as long as they remain unmarried.

Two things are worth underlining:

-   **Marriage still ends eligibility.** CSPA protects against aging out; it does not protect a child who marries. A married child cannot be an IR-2.
-   **The filing date is what matters.** Because the age locks at the I-130 filing date for immediate relatives, filing promptly is the most reliable way to protect a child who is approaching 21.

CSPA math and edge cases can get technical, and getting them right is exactly the kind of thing to confirm with an attorney before the birthday passes.

## IR-2 vs. F2A vs. IR-5: Don't Mix Them Up

These three codes get confused constantly because they all involve close family. Here is the clean distinction:

| Category | Who it's for | Sponsor | Wait for a visa number? |
|---|---|---|---|
| **IR-2** | Unmarried child, **under 21**, of a **U.S. citizen** | U.S. citizen | **No** — immediate relative, no annual cap |
| **F2A** | Unmarried child, under 21, of a **lawful permanent resident** (green-card holder) | Green-card holder | **Yes** — preference category, subject to the visa bulletin |
| **IR-5** | **Parent** of a U.S. citizen | U.S. citizen (must be **21 or older**) | **No** — immediate relative |

The practical takeaways:

-   **IR-2 vs. F2A** comes down to the sponsor's status. Same child, same age — but if the sponsoring parent is a **citizen** it is IR-2 (no wait for a visa number), and if the parent is a **green-card holder** it is **F2A** (a preference category that can involve a wait). If a green-card-holder parent naturalizes while the case is pending, an F2A child generally converts to the IR-2 path.
-   **IR-5** runs the other direction — it is how a U.S. citizen (age 21+) sponsors a **parent**, not a child.

## What the IR-2 Green Card Gives Your Child

An IR-2 child enters the United States as a **lawful permanent resident** and receives a green card. That means the right to live in the U.S. permanently and to study and work without any separate authorization.

There is also an important citizenship benefit. Under the Child Citizenship Act, a child who is admitted as a permanent resident and is **living in the U.S. in the legal and physical custody of the U.S.-citizen parent** generally **acquires U.S. citizenship automatically before turning 18** once those conditions are met. In that situation the family does not file a naturalization application for the child — but you will want to obtain a **Certificate of Citizenship** (or a U.S. passport) as proof.

## The IR-2 Process, Step by Step

Every case is different, but the path generally follows these stages:

1.  **File Form I-130.** The U.S.-citizen parent files the petition establishing the parent-child relationship. As noted above, for immediate relatives this filing date is also what locks the child's age for CSPA.
2.  **USCIS decision.** USCIS reviews the petition and either approves it, asks for more evidence (a Request for Evidence), or denies it.
3.  **Consular processing or adjustment of status.** If the child is **abroad**, the case moves to the National Visa Center and then to a U.S. embassy or consulate, where the child completes the **DS-260** immigrant visa application and attends an interview. If the child is **already in the U.S.** in a qualifying situation, they may instead file **Form I-485** to adjust status without leaving the country.
4.  **Affidavit of Support.** The sponsoring parent files **Form I-864, Affidavit of Support,** showing the financial ability to sponsor.
5.  **Admission and green card.** Once approved, the child is admitted as a permanent resident and receives the green card — and, where the conditions above are met, may acquire U.S. citizenship automatically.

**On fees and timelines:** these change and depend on your service center, your consulate, and your specific filings, so we don't publish fixed numbers here. Check the official sources instead — the [USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055)](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055) for current filing fees, and [USCIS Processing Times](https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/) for a current estimate (select **Form I-130**).

## IR-2 Visa FAQ

#### What happens if my child turns 21 during the process?

For children of U.S. citizens, the Child Status Protection Act freezes the child's age on the date you file the I-130. If your child was under 21 on that date and remains unmarried, they generally stay eligible for the IR-2 even after turning 21. Filing promptly is the surest way to protect a child nearing 21.

#### What if my child gets married?

Marriage removes a child from the IR-2 category at any age — CSPA does not change that. A married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen falls into a different, preference-based category. Talk to an attorney before a marriage if a case is pending.

#### Can a green-card holder file an IR-2 for their child?

No. The IR-2 is only for children of **U.S. citizens.** A lawful permanent resident sponsors an unmarried child under 21 through the **F2A** category instead, which is subject to visa availability. If the permanent-resident parent naturalizes, the case generally moves onto the IR-2 (immediate relative) path.

#### Will my child get citizenship automatically?

Often, yes. A child admitted as a permanent resident who lives in the U.S. in the legal and physical custody of a U.S.-citizen parent generally acquires citizenship automatically before turning 18. You should still obtain a Certificate of Citizenship or a U.S. passport as proof.

#### How much does it cost and how long does it take?

Fees and timelines change and vary by filing and location, so we point you to the official sources rather than quote numbers that go stale: the [USCIS Fee Schedule (G-1055)](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055) and the [USCIS Processing Times](https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/) tool.

## Talk to a Family Immigration Attorney

The IR-2 is one of the more favorable family categories — no annual cap and strong CSPA protection — but the details that decide a case (the CSPA age math, an approaching 21st birthday, a step- or adoption relationship, or a parent who is a green-card holder rather than a citizen) are worth getting right the first time.

-   Explore our [family-based immigration services](/family-based-immigration-lawyer/)
-   See the full range of [family-based visas](/family-based-immigration-lawyer/visas/)
-   [Contact Altius Law](/contact/) or [book a consultation](https://calendly.com/altiuslaw/initial-consultation)

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*This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees, and procedures are set by USCIS and the U.S. Department of State and can change; the descriptions here are current as of July 2026. Always confirm requirements and current fees on the official [USCIS](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055) pages, and for advice on your specific case, [book a consultation](https://calendly.com/altiuslaw/initial-consultation).*

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