An IR1 visa is an immigrant visa that lets the spouse of a U.S. citizen move to the United States as a lawful permanent resident with a standard 10-year green card. It falls under the “immediate relative” category, so there is no annual cap and no waiting list based on visa numbers. The one condition that matters for the “IR1” label specifically: the marriage must be at least two years old on the day the spouse is admitted to the United States. Marriages younger than that get a related visa, the CR1, with a conditional two-year green card instead.
IR1 vs. CR1 and the Two-Year Rule
The age of the marriage at the moment of admission is what separates the two visas. Two years or more, and the spouse enters on an IR1 with a 10-year green card and no strings attached. Less than two years, and the spouse enters on a CR1 with a conditional green card that expires after 24 months.
The rule comes from federal immigration law, which treats any spouse who becomes a permanent resident through a marriage less than 24 months old as a conditional permanent resident.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1186a – Conditional Permanent Resident Status for Certain Alien Spouses and Sons and Daughters A CR1 holder has to file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, during the 90-day window before that conditional status expires.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence Missing that filing means losing permanent resident status automatically and becoming removable.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence IR1 holders skip that step entirely.
Because the full USCIS and consular pipeline often runs well past a year, plenty of couples who filed as CR1 candidates end up crossing the two-year mark before the interview. When that happens, the visa issued is an IR1.
What the IR1 Gives You
The visa converts to full lawful permanent resident status the moment the spouse is admitted at a port of entry. That comes with:
- A 10-year green card mailed after arrival, with no conditional period.
- Work authorization for any employer in the country, effective immediately on admission.
- International travel on the green card without needing a separate visa, subject to the absence limits discussed below.
- A Social Security number, which can be requested during the immigrant visa application itself so the card arrives shortly after entry.4Social Security Administration. Social Security Numbers and Immigrant Visas
- Eligibility to apply for naturalization after three years of permanent residence, provided the couple stays married and lives together throughout.
Who Qualifies
The U.S. citizen doing the petitioning has to be a citizen (permanent residents can sponsor a spouse but through a different, slower category called F2A), be domiciled in the United States or plan to be by the time the spouse arrives, and meet the income requirement for financial sponsorship. The marriage itself has to be legally valid where it was performed and genuine rather than entered into for immigration purposes. Consular officers look closely at spousal cases.
The foreign spouse needs a valid passport, police clearance certificates from countries where they have lived, a completed medical exam, and a clean-enough record: prior immigration violations or certain criminal history can block eligibility.
If the foreign spouse has unmarried children under 21, those children may qualify for IR2 visas as the U.S. citizen’s immediate relatives. Biological, adopted, and stepchildren are all covered, but stepchildren only qualify if the marriage creating that relationship happened before the child turned 18. Each child needs a separate Form I-130.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
How to Apply
The process runs through three stages: a USCIS petition, National Visa Center processing, and a consular interview overseas.
Filing Form I-130
The U.S. citizen files Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, to establish the qualifying spousal relationship.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative The fee is $625 online or $675 on paper.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2024 Final Fee Rule Current processing times for immediate relative petitions run roughly 10 to 15 months. When USCIS approves the petition, the case moves to the National Visa Center.
National Visa Center Stage
The NVC collects a $325 immigrant visa application fee per applicant and a $120 Affidavit of Support review fee.7U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services The spouse completes Form DS-260 online through the Consular Electronic Application Center.8U.S. Department of State. Immigrant Visa Process – Complete Online Visa Application The petitioner submits the Affidavit of Support and civil documents. Once the file is documentarily complete, NVC schedules the interview.
Consular Interview
The spouse interviews in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country, bringing the DS-260 confirmation page and supporting documents.8U.S. Department of State. Immigrant Visa Process – Complete Online Visa Application If approved, the visa is issued with a limited window (typically six months) to enter the United States.
Financial Sponsorship
The petitioner has to file Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, promising to support the immigrant at 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA This is a binding contract with the government, not paperwork.
For 2026, a household of two (petitioner plus incoming spouse) needs $27,050 in annual income in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. The threshold is $33,813 in Alaska and $31,113 in Hawaii, and each additional household member raises the number.10HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
The petitioner submits their most recent federal tax return with W-2s and 1099s. Prior years are optional but useful if the latest year alone falls short.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-864, Affidavit of Support If the petitioner’s income is below the threshold, a joint sponsor (any U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who meets the income requirement on their own) can file a separate I-864 to make up the difference.
Documents to Gather Early
Foreign-issued documents often need translation or apostille certification, so start early.
Petitioner:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate)
- Certified marriage certificate
- Most recent federal tax return with W-2s
- Employment verification letter or recent pay stubs
- Evidence of a genuine marriage: joint bank statements, shared leases, photographs, correspondence
Beneficiary:
- Valid passport
- Birth certificate
- Police clearance certificates from every country where they have lived six months or more since age 16
- Completed medical exam results
- Two passport-style photographs
If either spouse was married before, final divorce decrees or death certificates for the former spouses are required.
Medical Exam and Vaccinations
Every immigrant visa applicant has to complete a medical exam with a “panel physician” authorized by the U.S. embassy or consulate. The exam covers a physical, a mental health screening, and testing for certain communicable diseases including tuberculosis, syphilis, and gonorrhea.
Applicants also have to show proof of vaccination against a specific list of diseases: hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, pertussis, varicella, influenza, meningococcal disease, and pneumococcal disease, among others.12U.S. Department of State. Vaccinations Bring existing immunization records to the exam; missing them means extra shots and often a second appointment. The panel physician can waive a vaccine if it is medically inappropriate. Exam fees vary by country and are paid to the physician directly, separate from any government filing fees.
If the Spouse Is Already in the United States
Consular processing abroad is not the only route. When the foreign spouse is already physically in the U.S., they can file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, with USCIS instead of leaving for a consular interview.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can generally use adjustment of status in most situations, which is a real advantage over other immigration categories.
The I-130 and I-485 can be filed at the same time (concurrent filing), which typically saves months. The spouse can also request work authorization and advance parole while the I-485 is pending. The Affidavit of Support requirement is the same, and the medical exam is done by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon in the United States rather than a panel physician abroad.
Traveling After You Have the Green Card
The green card itself does not guarantee re-entry after a long trip. Absences under six months are usually fine. Absences between six months and a year can prompt questions at the border about whether residence has been abandoned. For a planned absence of more than a year, apply for a re-entry permit on Form I-131 while still physically present in the United States; the permit is generally valid for two years from issuance.14U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Thailand. Green Card Holders: Maintaining Permanent Resident Status Long absences can also reset the residence clock for naturalization, so shorter trips protect both the green card and the timeline to citizenship.