IR5 Visa for Nigerian Parents

Want to Join Your Son or Daughter in the US?

We have assisted many Nigerians to smoothly transition to the US to reunite with their families, so get in touch with us for professional advice and assistance from our team of immigration experts. We will assist you from start to finish to ensure that your visa gets approved. You can relax and trust us to do the job for you.

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What is the IR5 Visa?

The IR5 Visa allows the Nigerian parent or parents of US citizens to lawfully become permanent residents of the United States.

To be eligible for this family-based visa, the United States citizen that is sponsoring the visa must be at least 21 years of age.

If you are granted the IR5 Visa, it is an immediate relative Green Card. Holders of the IR5 Green Card Visa can live and work in the US without any restrictions. It doesn’t have an annual cap which means you don’t have to wait for priority dates after you apply.

Who is Eligible for the IR5 Green Card Visa for Parents?

The requirements include the following:

• You must be the parent of a U.S Citizen that has a birth certificate from another country outside the United States
• Be at least 21 years old
• Able to show proof of your relationship with the US citizen such as a valid birth certificate

The United States citizen must also meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 21 years old when sponsoring you.
• Financially capable to support the IR5 applicant until they are able to support themselves
• Be a resident in the US with a registered address.

What is the IR5 Visa Application Process?

The application process for the IR5 Visa Green Card is completed in 2 stages – the petition stage and the application stage. A visa application is only possible once the approval of the petition has been granted.

1. I-130 Petition Stage

The US citizen that is sponsoring the IR5 Nigerian applicant (the parent) must submit a petition to the USCIS with Form I-130 – Petition For Alien Relatives. They must pay the filing fee of $535 for the form processing. This fee is not refundable, even if your petition is unsuccessful.It is vital to ensure you qualify for the IR5 Visa, due to the cost and processing times. To make sure that you meet all of the requirements, call IAS on +44 (0) 3316300929 for advice on whether you qualify and how to complete a more successful application.

Processing may take some months as USCIS will send the form to the Department of Homeland Security to carry out a background check. After processing, USCIS will notify the sponsor of their decision on the petition.

If the petition is denied, the USCIS will state the reasons for the denial and let you know if you are able to reapply. If approved, they’ll transfer the case to the National Visa Centre (NVC), who will review the petition and contact the IR5 applicant.

2. Visa Application Stage

You can apply straight away once you receive the information from NVC since the IR 5 Visa has no annual cap. You need to apply by submitting Form DS-260, Immigration Visa Electronic Application.

This is an online form where you have to provide certain information about yourself. You have to pay the application fee of $220 for the form to be processed. After submitting the form, print the confirmation page which will contain your application number.

The information from NVC will also contain instructions on medical tests and vaccinations you might need to take. This is mandatory to show that you’re in good health to enter and reside in the United States.

Any requested medical tests must be done by a licensed doctor. Your medical examination certificate and proof of medical examination and any vaccination records are important supporting documents.

Once this step is complete, the embassy will invite you for a visa interview which you must attend after submitting all required documents for the application.

What are the Required Documents for the IR5 Visa?

The required documents that the applicant must submit will vary depending on the circumstances. However, you’ll have to provide all or most of the following documents:

• International passport that is valid
• Form DS-260 confirmation page
• Approved Form I-130
• Signed Form I-864 (Affidavit of support for the parent)
• Medical examination certificate from a licensed doctor
• Vaccination documents (if needed)
• Passport photographs according to US visa requirements
• Valid birth certificate that proves the relationship between you and the US citizen
• Court or criminal records (if any)
• Military records, if the applicant has served in the military

The documents need to be in English. If they’re not, you have to give certified-English translations of them.

IR5 Visa Interview

The visa interview for an IR5 Visa is the final deciding stage of your visa application before you are allowed to the United States. You will need to attend the interview at a US embassy or consulate in Nigeria. An immigration officer will conduct the interview and ask you questions about your application.

The questions at the US embassy or consulate will mostly be about your (the parent) relationship with the US citizen. Your performance at the interview, along with the authenticity of the documents submitted, will largely determine if the officer will approve the visa application or not. Sometimes the embassy may request some additional requirements for further processing.

If your visa is approved, you’ll get a visa packet which you have to submit at the port of entry into the US.

You shouldn’t open the packet yourself. At the port of entry, the Immigration officers will examine your packet. They will review your travel documents and decide if you meet the necessary entry requirements. If they grant you entry, you can then enter the US as a permanent resident on IR5 status.

Additional Requirements for IR5 Visa

In some cases, the US immigration services may ask for further evidence following your application or interview, especially if the sponsoring child was born outside of marriage or have been adopted.

For example, If the sponsoring U.S. citizen child was born out of wedlock and was not legally recognised by their father before they turned 18 years old, the sponsor must ensure they provide:

• Their birth certificate with the father’s names
• A naturalisation certificate or passport if not born within the U.S.
• Proof of a financial or emotional tie between the child and father before marriage or they turned 21.

If the sponsoring US citizen child was born out of wedlock and was legally recognised by their father before they become 18, they must include:

• A birth certificate with the father’s names
• A naturalisation certificate or passport if they were not born in the U.S
• Evidence the child was legally legitimated before they were 18 by their natural parents’ marriage or by the laws of the father’s birth country

If you are unclear if you will need to provide additional documentation when applying for a IR5 Visa because of your circumstances then reach out to IAS for advice and support to ensure you are fully prepared when making your application.

IR5 Visa Application Fees

There are a number of fees that are required when making an IR5 Visa application. You will be expected to pay the following before being issued with the visa:

• Form I-130 filing fee $535
• Form DS-260 processing fee $325
• Fees for translation of your documents (if needed)
• Medical examination and vaccination fees (if needed)
• USCIS Immigrant Fee – $220

IR5 Visa Processing Times

The IR5 Visa can take 6 months to a year to process, but it can be difficult to give an accurate processing time. If you are required to attend an interview in Nigeria then it could take considerably longer.

How Long Is the IR5 Visa Green Card Valid For?

The IR5 Visa is a Green Card, so you (the parent) can live and work in the United States permanently without any restrictions. However, most Green Cards expire after 10 years. An expired Green Card doesn’t mean that you’re no longer a US permanent resident, you just need to have it renewed.

You should apply for a renewal any time from 6 months before your Green Card expires to allow you the time to get it processed. For a renewal, you have to file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. You’ll also file this form if you misplace or lose your Green Card document. The filing fee is currently  $455.

If you need support renewing your Green Card then reach out to our US immigration experts for advice and assistance.

How IAS Can Help

Our team of experienced immigration lawyers are experts in U.S. immigration law. We pride ourselves on offering you the very best citizenship and immigration services and advice and are happy to answer all of your questions about U.S. visas and immigration processes.

We can guide you through the entire application process, and provide plenty of advice and counsel along the way. Some services that our dedicated lawyers can provide are:

• Assessing your eligibility for the IR5 Visa
• Offering you help with completing and submitting all the required immigration forms.
• Helping you to gather the necessary documents for an adequate portfolio of supporting evidence for your case.
• Guiding you through the process and what to expect once you have been approved for your IR5 Visa.

Get in touch with us today on +44 (0) 3316300929 to find out more about how we can support you with your IR5 Visa Green Card.