Immediate Relative Petition

US Visa in Thailand

A US citizen can petition for his/her immediate relatives to be able to come and live in the United States through immediate relative petitions. The beneficiaries of this petition fall under the unlimited immigrant visa quota which grants them permanent resident status immediately upon their entry into the United States.

The following are the immediate relatives of the petitioner:

  • Spouse
  • Unmarried children under 21 years old
  • Parents

Benefits of IR-1 Visa

  • Your immediate relatives can live in the US permanently
  • Your petitioned immediate relatives can work in the United States

Drawbacks

  • Longer processing time
  • No derivative beneficiary unlike K visas

Eligibility Requirements for the Petitioner

  • Must be a US citizen
  • Meet Financial Requirements of 125% of Poverty Guidelines
  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Domiciled in the US

IR-1 Application Process

  1. The petitioner files an I-130 petition with the USCIS
  2. The National Visa Center is notified of the approved petition.
  3. The National Visa Center contacts the beneficiary and the petitioner with instructions for submitting the appropriate processing fees.
  4. After the fees are settled, the NVC informs the petitioner and the applicant of the required documents to be submitted.
  5. The petitioner and the beneficiary submits the required documents.
  6. The beneficiary is called into the local consular or embassy for an interview.

IR-1 Visa vs. CR-1 Visa

IR stands for "Immediate Relative" visa which entitles the holder a permanent residence status allowing him/her a renewable 10-year stay in the US. Immediate Relatives of a US citizen can apply for this visa.

CR stands for "Conditional Residency" and this is applied for by spouses of American citizens/permanent residents whose period of marriage to their American/permanent resident spouses is less than two years. The applicant will be initially awarded a 2-year conditional permanent residency in the US. This can be removed through an application for removal of conditions filed 90 days before the CR 1 visa expires. They will receive unconditional permanent resident status or the "green card" after the successful removal of the conditions.

US Immigration Thailand

Ready to start a new chapter of your life in the USA?

Siam Legal’s US Visa Team

  • Over 20 years of experience helping people from all over the world travel to the United States
  • More than 10,000 successful US visa applications.

Speak with an expert US immigration lawyer, or submit the form below to begin the consultation process.

Ken Graham

Ken Graham
US Immigration Attorney
Partner, Siam Legal International

Linda Pringpuangkeo

Natdaphon Luengsawang
Senior US Visa Consultant
Siam Legal International

Call Us CALL
  • From US:  Sunday - Friday
  • 5:00 PM - 7:00 AM (New York time)
  • 2:00 PM - 4:00 AM (Los Angeles time)
  • From Thailand:  Monday - Friday
  • 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Bangkok time)
Start your IR1 visa application ($3210.00)

By paying through Paypal, you agree to the terms and conditions of this website.