- SimVisa
- Family-Based Immigration
- IR-5 Visa (Parent Green Card)
IR-5 Visa (Parent Green Card)
Under U.S. immigration law, the parents of a U.S. citizen are eligible for permanent resident status. To obtain a parent green card, your parents must obtain an IR-5 visa.

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If you choose to handle everything yourself, take advantage of our free informational videos, guides and blogs. We have resources to help walk you through the steps of your specific immigration process.
All You Need to Know
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- A lawyer completes the attorney review and is available to answer any questions or address any issues that you may have.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Using our system, you provide the requested information and upload all your relevant documents into your secure client portal.
- 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.
- A lawyer completes the attorney review.
- We send the completed application to you for you and your parent to sign and submit.

Are You in Need of Help from an Expert Immigration Attorney?
A family-based immigration lawyer can guide you through the system to reunite your family. Contact SimVisa to learn how a family-based green card attorney can help you.
Contact usWhy Choose SimVisa IR-5 Parent Visa Attorneys?
SimVisa has experience handling family visa applications. We're well-versed in immigration law, and we're determined to make the process as easy as possible for you so that you can be with your loved ones without any obstacles or intimidation from USCIS.
When you use SimVisa, you get:
- A live meeting so we understand your unique situation
- A tailored application strategy to maximize your approval chances
- Professional reviews of your filings by an immigration law firm
We want your family to be together, and we will fight to make that happen.


We have a high success rate in approvals
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Before launching automated SimVisa services, we've been successfully helping people with immigration as a traditional immigration law firm - Atom Law Group. Read the reviews below to see what our clients have to say.
FAQs About Family-Based Immigration
Our clients have a lot of questions. Here are the answers to some of those most frequently asked.
How long does the IR5 visa process take?
Every application has a unique timeline. Some applications get approved in as little as three months. Some visas take a year or longer to get issued. It depends on the circumstances of the applicant and their sponsor.
Can green card holders petition for an IR5 visa for their parents?
No, U.S. law only allows a U.S. citizen sponsor for an IR-5 application. But a former green card holder who gains United States citizenship can sponsor a parent.
Can IR5 visa holders become U.S. citizens?
Yes, parents who obtain an IR-5 visa have the same option to apply for U.S. citizenship as all other green card holders by filing a form N-600 and Application for Certificate of Citizenship.
Can IR5 visa holders work in the United States?
Yes, holders of an IR-5 visa can work in the U.S. without obtaining any additional documentation like an employment authorization document. The IR-5 visa functions as a green card.

Contact Your IR5 Visa Lawyer Today!
SimVisa's immigration attorneys for parent green card have the knowledge and experience to handle an IR5 visa. Contact us to schedule your live meeting and learn how SimVisa can help you and your family.