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United StatesFamilyLast checked October 22, 2026

Immigrant Visa for a Parent of a US Citizen

IR5 · Official name: IR5: Parent of U.S. Citizen at Least 21 Years of Age (immediate relative)

A US citizen who is at least 21 can sponsor a parent for permanent residence by filing Form I-130. Parents of adult citizens are immediate relatives, so a visa is always available and there is no visa bulletin wait. A parent living abroad finishes the case at a US embassy or consulate; a parent already in the US after a lawful admission may file Form I-485 to adjust status. Green card holders (permanent residents) cannot petition for parents.

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The government has suspended some or all visas for holders of these passports. Exceptions exist; see the source.

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Source: Proclamation 10949 - Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats (Federal Register, 10 Jun 2025)Source: Proclamation 10998 - Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the Security of the United States (Federal Register, 19 Dec 2025)Source: Proclamation 10998 full text (GovInfo)Source: U.S. Department of State - Suspension of Visa Issuance to Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United StatesSource: Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for FY2027 (Federal Register, 2 Oct 2026) - cites Proclamation 10998 as in force

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Who it’s for

Mothers, fathers, stepparents and adoptive parents of US citizens aged 21 or older who want to live in the US as permanent residents.

Eligibility

  • Who can sponsor: a US citizen aged 21 or older

    Only a US citizen aged 21 or older can file Form I-130 for a parent; green card holders cannot.

    • Sponsor must be at least 21
    • Permanent residents cannot petition for parents
    • Permanent residents can petition only for a spouse and unmarried children
    Official wording

    Only a US citizen who is at least 21 can file Form I-130 for a parent. USCIS states that green card holders (permanent residents) may not petition to bring parents to live permanently in the United States; permanent residents can petition only for a spouse and unmarried children.

  • Parent-child relationship

    Prove the sponsor's US citizenship and the parent-child relationship in the petition.

    • For a father, include the parents' civil marriage certificate
    • Child born out of wedlock: evidence of legitimation before 18
    • Or evidence of an emotional or financial bond before the child married or turned 21
    Official wording

    The petition must prove both the sponsor's US citizenship and the relationship. For a father, this includes the parents' civil marriage certificate, or, for a child born out of wedlock, evidence of legitimation before 18 or of an emotional or financial bond before the child married or turned 21.

  • StepparentsStepparent

    For a stepparent, the marriage to the birth parent must have taken place before the sponsor's 18th birthday.

    • Applies to stepparents only
    Official wording

    The marriage between the birth parent and the stepparent must have taken place before the sponsor's 18th birthday.

A sneak peek at what's inside

  • Next requirementAdoptive parents
  • Document checklistForm I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
  • FeesForm I-130 (paper)

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  • 11 documents
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After the I-130 petition is filed, a case processed at a US embassy or consulate goes through these official stages. Times vary by case and by embassy or consulate.

  1. 1

    Petition filed with USCIS

    The US citizen has filed Form I-130 and USCIS has sent a receipt notice with a receipt number. USCIS reviews the petition and may ask for more evidence.

    What you can do now: Keep the receipt notice. Follow the case with the receipt number on USCIS Case Status Online, and answer any request for evidence by the date it gives.

  2. 2

    Petition approved by USCIS

    USCIS has approved the I-130 and sent it to the National Visa Center (NVC), part of the State Department. NVC sends a welcome letter with the case number and what to do next.

    What you can do now: Watch for the NVC welcome letter or email, then sign in to the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) with your case number. Wait for NVC’s instructions before sending documents.

  3. 3

    At the National Visa Center: fees, forms and documents

    In CEAC you pay the immigrant visa application fee (and, in family cases, the affidavit of support fee), complete Form DS-260 for each person travelling, and upload civil documents such as birth and marriage certificates, police certificates and, in family cases, the Form I-864 affidavit of support with financial evidence.

    What you can do now: Pay the fees, submit the DS-260 and upload clear scans of every requested document. NVC tells you in CEAC if anything is missing: answer each request once, rather than sending duplicates.

  4. 4

    Documentarily complete: waiting for an interview

    NVC has accepted all fees and documents. The State Department calls this “documentarily complete” (older letters say “documentarily qualified”). When a visa is available, NVC usually schedules interviews in the order cases became complete, as the embassy or consulate has space. Spouses, parents and unmarried children under 21 of US citizens don’t wait for a visa number; other family and employment categories also need a current priority date.

    What you can do now: Check the IV Scheduling Status Tool for the month your case became complete. Since 1 November 2025, interviews are usually held in your country of residence (or nationality, if you ask). Keep documents valid and tell NVC about changes such as a new address, a marriage or a child turning 21.

  5. 5

    Interview scheduled at the embassy or consulate

    NVC or the embassy or consulate has sent an appointment letter with the date and place of the interview.

    What you can do now: Follow the embassy or consulate’s instructions: book the medical exam with one of its approved panel physicians, and bring passports and original civil documents. Read the official interview preparation page and the embassy’s own page.

  6. 6

    After the interview: 221(g) or administrative processing

    If the visa isn’t issued at the interview, the officer refuses it under section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, because a document is missing or the case needs administrative processing. The State Department’s manual says this refusal can be overcome once the missing evidence is provided or the processing is completed.

    What you can do now: Follow the letter the officer gives you and send exactly what it asks for, the way it says. Follow the case on the CEAC visa status page. Times vary from case to case.

  7. 7

    Visa issued

    The immigrant visa is in the passport, with a sealed visa packet for the officer at the US port of entry.

    What you can do now: Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online before you travel so the green card can be mailed. Don’t open the sealed packet, and travel before the visa expires. If the card hasn’t arrived 90 days after entry, USCIS says to contact its Contact Center.

Asking for an earlier decision or interview

Each office has its own channel. Ask once, give your case or receipt number, and include proof of the reason.

These requests are decided at the government’s discretion, case by case. There’s no set time for an answer, and repeat requests can slow things down.

Checked October 22, 2026 on official USCIS and State Department pages, including the Foreign Affairs Manual. Some travel.state.gov pages block automated reading, so we used their official text and link to them: check the latest there. General information, not legal advice.

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