R-1 / R-2 · Timeline

How the process works

1. 1

   1. The employer files Form I-129

   A prospective or existing U.S. employer files Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, with the R-1 supplement and the evidence above. An R-1 petition may include only one beneficiary. If you are already in the United States in another status and are eligible to change status, the petition can ask USCIS to change your status to R-1.^[1,2,3]

2. 2

   2. Review and possible site inspection

   USCIS may verify the evidence by any means it considers appropriate, up to an on-site inspection of the organization, before or after it decides the petition. The petition must give the physical address where you will work, even if it differs from the mailing address. If USCIS inspects before deciding, satisfactory completion of the inspection is a condition for approval.^[1,3]

3. 3

   3. Visa at a U.S. consulate

   Petition approval does not by itself establish that you are eligible for the visa; the consular officer decides. A consulate may issue an R visa up to 90 days before the start of employment shown on Form I-797, Notice of Action, but you may enter the United States only on or after the effective date of the approval. If you do not need a visa, you present the original Form I-797 at the port of entry.^[1,4,5]

4. 4

   4. Admission

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) decides whether to admit you. If you are otherwise admissible, you may be admitted in R-1 status, or have your status changed to R-1, for an initial period of up to 30 months.^[1,3]