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🇺🇸 United States · IR Visa
3 mandatory requirements, 1 supporting factor, and 8 core documents — here is exactly what United States expects.
Missing any of these disqualifies an application outright — confirm them before investing in fees or document preparation.
The petitioner must be a US citizen (not just a Lawful Permanent Resident) to file for an immediate relative
Must be a spouse, unmarried child under 21, or parent (if petitioner is 21+) of a US citizen
Marriage must be legally valid in the jurisdiction where it was performed; parent-child relationship must be legal
Not strictly required, but each strengthens your case — the weight shown reflects how heavily our scoring engine (and in practice, adjudicators) value it.
Beneficiary must not have bars to US immigration (certain criminal history, prior removals, etc.)
US Citizen Proof (Petitioner)
US passport, US birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or certificate of citizenship
Beneficiary Passport
Valid passport of the person immigrating
Marriage Certificate
Legal marriage certificate with certified English translation (if applicable)
Birth Certificate
Birth certificate of the beneficiary with certified English translation
Prior Divorce Decrees
Final divorce decrees for all prior marriages of both petitioner and beneficiary
Evidence of Bona Fide Relationship
Joint financial accounts, shared lease, photos together, correspondence, travel records
Police Clearance Certificates
Police certificates from each country of residence for 6+ months after age 16
Form I-864 Affidavit of Support
Financial support affidavit from petitioner showing income at 125% of federal poverty guidelines
Official source: government website. See also: costs & fees and processing time.
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