CR1 and IR1 Spouse Visas, Explained

Getting Started

What Are Spousal Visas?

If you’re married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder, and you’re looking to obtain a marriage-based green card while living abroad, you’ll need to apply at your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate. This process — called “consular processing” — allows you to obtain either a CR1 visa or IR1 visa, both of which will allow you to live and work in the United States, albeit on slightly different terms. We’ll cover the differences between the two below.

Sample permanent resident card

Differences Between the CR1 and IR1

While CR1 and IR1 visas provide similar rights and privileges to beneficiaries, they both follow different timelines. The CR1 is a conditional marriage green card valid for 2 years, while an IR1 is a permanent marriage green card valid for 10 years.

What is the CR1 Visa?

CR1 (or Conditional Resident) visas are given to applicants who, when arriving in the United States with their green card, have been married for less than 2 years. These visas are granted on a “conditional” basis. Two years after their arrival in the United States, the beneficiary and their U.S. citizen spouse must apply to remove the conditions from the green card, at which point they will receive an updated 10-year permanent resident card.

What is the IR1 Visa?

IR1 (or Immediate Relative) visas, on the other hand, are given to beneficiaries who have been married for more than 2 years when their green card is approved. In this case, the IR1 holder doesn’t need to remove conditions (as there are none), and will have 10 years before they need to renew their permanent resident card.

Note:
Investor visas, such as the EB5, are also considered Conditional Resident visas and thus will need to be updated after 2 years. That being said, for our purposes, the term, CR1 generally refers to conditional, 2-year, marriage-based green card.m id est laborum.

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