IR-5 Visa (Parent Green Card)

For U.S. Citizens with Foreign-Born Parents

The immigration lawyers at SimVisa can reunite you with your parents by:

• Conducting a live interview
• Helping you and your parents gather the necessary supporting documents
• Reviewing the application with an experienced immigration attorney
• Communicating with you throughout the process

We understand the unique parent-child relationship and will work hard to bring your family together. Contact us to learn about parent green card applications.

Trusted IR-5 Parent Visa Attorneys

Experience matters when dealing with U.S. government agencies. The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and State use complex procedures to receive and process IR5 visa applications. Errors can delay your approval.

Every SimVisa professional has at least 10 years of experience handling relative immigrant visas. An immigration lawyer reviews each application filed by SimVisa to ensure that it has the best chance for a quick approval.

SimVisa helps reunite family members in Chicago and nationwide. Contact us to discuss the unique facts of your case and learn how SimVisa can help your parents obtain an IR5 visa.

What Is an IR-5 Immigrant Visa?

The IR5 visa category, also called a parent green card, permits parents of U.S. citizens to gain permanent residence in the U.S. This class of visa is not subject to yearly caps, so processing occurs much more quickly than other types of visas.

You must sponsor your parents’ visa application. To do this, you must be at least 21 years old. Once your parent receives the IR5 visa, they can live and work in the U.S. permanently.

Who Is Eligible for IR-5 Visas?

To apply for an IR5 visa, you and your parents must meet certain requirements.

Requirements for parents:

• Be sponsored by a biological child, step-child, or adopted child
• Not have overstayed a prior visa

Requirements for children:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Hold U.S. citizenship (not permanent residency)
• Currently reside in the U.S. and maintain a valid address
• Have the financial means to support the parent
• Prove the relationship with a valid birth certificate, adoption certificate, or parent marriage license

If you meet all these requirements, the U.S. government will grant a green card for parents who want to immigrate.

IR-5 Visa Process

The process to apply for parents green card will vary depending on where they are living when they apply. You have two options for filing an IR-5 visa petition:

Consular Processing

Consular processing, also referred to as the immigrant visa process, is the procedure for getting an IR-5 visa when the parent is living outside the U.S.

If your parent is living in a foreign country:

• You, the U.S. citizen parent, must file with USCIS Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, with proper evidence, to prove the parent-child relationship
• After approval of the I-130, the parent files an Immigrant Visa Electronic Application, form DS-260, to start the visa application process with the National Visa Center (NVC)
• The parent files supporting documentation, including from the petitioner to prove they are a U.S. citizen and are otherwise eligible to act as an I-864 sponsor
• The parent obtains a medical exam, including vaccines
• The parent attends the immigrant visa interview at a consulate or embassy after the medical examination
• Upon the issuance of the visa, the parent travels to the U.S. and take the sealed visa packet to a United States port of entry to be admitted as a permanent residence

After your parents enter the U.S., they will receive their green cards in the mail at their U.S. address.

Adjustment of Status

If your parent is already in the U.S., they need to file an application to adjust their status. This refers to the fact that they entered on a visa other than an IR5 visa and now want to obtain a parent's green card. If your parent is in the U.S. after having entered with valid inspection and admission, together with you, they can:

• File a suite of forms, including Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative and Form I-485 Application to Adjust Status, along with supporting documentation to prove the parent’s identity and admissibility, their relationship to the petitioning child, and that the child is a U.S. citizen eligible to sponsor them (form I-864)
• Travel to an application support center to provide fingerprints as well as be photographed and sign an acknowledgment
• Attend an immigration interview with a USCIS officer

Your parent will receive a notification if the USCIS approves the application for adjustment of status. If so, they will receive their permanent resident card in a separate mailing.

How Can Our Lawyers Help with Your IR-5 Parent Visa?

The U.S. immigration laws are complex and confusing which is why many family visa applicants feel intimidated trying to navigate the immigration system and procedures.

For example, if you choose our premium service for full attorney representation for IR0 parent adjustment of status, our process is as follows: 

1. Contact SimVisa for a free 15-minute meeting with our team and to schedule a paid consultation with an attorney. The lawyer will dive into the specific facts of your case, address your questions and concerns, and provide an assessment of your case as well as the steps moving forward.
2. After the consultation, you sign the engagement letter and submit your payment using our secure link. We typically credit the attorney consultation fee and charge a flat fee for our services, which we discuss in your attorney consultation.
3. We work with you to gather all the information and documents necessary for  your case into our system, answering questions and advising you every step of the way. 
4. We prepare the petition package, including forms and supporting evidence, and make the process as easy and stress-free as possible. We work together to create a filing that best presents your case and minimizes the chance of issues or delay by US immigration.
5. A lawyer completes the attorney review and is available to answer any questions or address any issues that you may have.
6. After you sign the documents, we submit the package to USCIS and officially sign on as your “attorney of record” meaning that US immigration recognizes us as your lawyer. As a result, we have the ability to contact immigration on your behalf and to monitor and notify you of the progress of your case with immigration.

Our six-step process for the automated service for the IR0 parent adjustment of status is as follows:

1. Contact SimVisa for a free 15-minute meeting with our team to determine whether you are eligible to file for an adjustment of status using the automated service.
2. After the consultation, you submit your payment for legal assistance using our secure link. We charge a flat fee for our services, which we discuss in your initial consultation.
3. Using our system, you provide the requested information and upload all your relevant documents into your secure client portal.
4. We meet with you via video and prepare the petition package including forms and supporting evidence. We will tell you if we need further proof and what we need for your application.
5. A lawyer completes the attorney review.
6. We send the completed application to you for you and your parent to sign and submit.