CR-1/IR-1 What's the difference

[KSOLANO 0]

My fiance and I will be married this July. He is a US citizen and I am Canadian. I plan to be in the states with him. After some research, we decided to go with the Spouse Visa and follow those procedures in order to permanently reside as a US citizen. However, I am hearing about this IR1/CR1 Spouse Visa for the first time and now feel a little confused. What exactly are the differences between the two and which one is best suited for my situation? Any helpful advice would be gladly appreciated. Thanks!

[zenaxe 22]

Welcome to VJ and to the boards !!

This site is great and can answer probably all of your questions with the postings and general information on here. You should get famliar with the guides as they help explain the difference between visas etc and how to proceed. Have a look.

The quick and dirty is that CR means conditional residency and IR means immediate relative. Both are relatively the same thing ie spousal visas but the CR1 visa is granted to those who have been married less than 2 years and the IR visa is granted to those married more than 2 years. That simple.

You mention you plan on marrying in July - congrats to you guys !! However, are you living in Canada at this stage? You can't marry and live together whlie filing for those visas ie CR1. If you are planning on being in the USA before and after you marry, you should be filing for a fiance visa. The CR1 visa applies only to those that are married not engaged. And once you marry, you file the required paperwork for the CR1 visa and then you have to leave the US or he leave Canada (depending on where you marry) and you wait the process. It is illegal to come in to the USA marry and remain in the country while you await the visa to be approved. You are allowed to enter to marry but you have to leave within a reasonable time after you marry.

If you want to be living in the USA and are engaged, apply for the fiance visa, wait for it's approval then go into the USA and you'll have 90 days in which to marry.

I don't want to overwhelm you with information. Start with the guides on here and review which visa is right for you etc and get a better understanding. Then post questions and go from there.

We got married in Dec 2009 and I'm still in Canada and my wife is a USC living there. We are getting close to the CR1 visa interview in Montreal - we filed late Dec/early Jan so it's been four months thus far and it'll be a few more months until we get the CR1 visa. The process is anywhere from 7 - 12 months.

Congrats and good luck,

[pushbrk 12,892]

My fiance and I will be married this July. He is a US citizen and I am Canadian. I plan to be in the states with him. After some research, we decided to go with the Spouse Visa and follow those procedures in order to permanently reside as a US citizen. However, I am hearing about this IR1/CR1 Spouse Visa for the first time and now feel a little confused. What exactly are the differences between the two and which one is best suited for my situation? Any helpful advice would be gladly appreciated. Thanks!

IR1 is granted when the marriage has reached the second anniversary. Otherwise CR1 is granted. The CR1 visa holder gets a two year green card instead of a ten year and must "remove conditions" in the 3 months prior to card expiration. See the Removal of Conditions Guide.

[Moosker 7]

Same as people mentioned above - IR1 is for those married 2 years or more, CR1 is for those married two years or less.

Legally you cannot live in the U.S. with your spouse while the visa is "pending" as it's illegal. There are visitor visas you can obtain, I would stay for the alloted time and then leave.

[IndigoSkies 168]

So finally I understand the difference between CR1 and IR1. What is denoted by the 1 in CR1, or IR1. I assume there are CR2 and IR2. Are there? And if so what is the difference between CR1 and CR2 (should CR2 exist) and IR1 and IR2 (should IR2 exist.) Thank for your replies.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

The CR1 or IR1 visa enables US Citizens to bring their foreign spouse to the USA

The CR2 or IR2 visa allows unmarried children under the age of 21 to move to the US as well, provided the marriage to the natural parent occured before the 18th birthday.

http://www.**removed for TOS violation**/Visa_FAQ.html

Good luck

[IndigoSkies 168]

I figure after going through my VJ, I will attempt to take the bar exams for my State. I might have enough knowledge to actually become in immigration lawyer. Folks, this is an attestation to your contribution to my knowledge. Thank you.

[Petition2252 7]

My fiance and I will be married this July. He is a US citizen and I am Canadian. I plan to be in the states with him. After some research, we decided to go with the Spouse Visa and follow those procedures in order to permanently reside as a US citizen. However, I am hearing about this IR1/CR1 Spouse Visa for the first time and now feel a little confused. What exactly are the differences between the two and which one is best suited for my situation? Any helpful advice would be gladly appreciated. Thanks!

If you have been married for at least two years prior to you applying, then it is IR1 (Immediate Resident), Otherwise CR1 (Conditional Resident).

[canadian_wife 1,822]

http://www.**removed for TOS violation**/Visa_FAQ.html

Good luck

I violated the TOS!!! Sorry everyone, it was totally unintentional!

I think I have an emoticon addiction