Paulo's Tips for Getting an Immigration Green Card
How to Apply for a Green Card
Before starting the application process, there are two questions that you should answer first:
1. Are you eligible to apply?
U.S. immigration laws provide a variety of ways for people to apply for a Green Card. The eligibility requirements may vary depending on the immigrant category you are applying under. Go to our Green Card Eligibility Categories page to see all the possible categories you can apply under and what the eligibility requirements are.
Being Sponsored for a Green Card
Most people who apply for a Green Card will need to complete at least two forms—an immigrant petition and a Green Card application (Form I-485). Someone else usually must file the petition for you (often referred to as sponsoring or petitioning for you), although you may be eligible to file for yourself in some cases.
A green card is a key to becoming a United States citizen. The formal term for a green card is legal permanent residency. Having a green card allows you to legally live and work in the United States. There are essentially three major ways to get a green card. You can get one through family members, and employer or a few other special reasons. This process is a lengthy one but we’ll go over what you need to know.
Category 1: Green Card Through Family
Obtaining a green card through a family member is the most popular way to get a green card. If you’re a close relative to a U.S. citizen or a green card holder you can petition for a green card. This is also one of the easiest ways to obtain legal permanent residency.
If you are a close relative of a U.S. citizen, that is the fastest way to get a green card. U.S. citizens are allowed to petition spouses, unmarried children under 21 years of age and parents over 21 years old. To do so the U.S. citizen must legally establish the relationship using USCIS Form I-130 Petition for an Alien Relative. That application is followed by Form I-485 Adjustment of Status. In certain cases, both applications can be completed together. Close relatives who are not in the United States have to go through consular processing which means their applications are approved by the U.S. Department of State. Once the Department of State issues them a visa they will get a green card when they’re admitted into the United States. U.S. citizens can also petition siblings and married children over 21 but that process takes much longer because these relatives are not considered immediate relatives.
If your immediate relative is a green card holder the process is somewhat the same but it will definitely take longer.
If you get married or turn 21 years old things change and immigration law states you will have to wait longer in order to get a green card through a U.S. citizen relative.
There are also a few special circumstances where you can get a green card but they are not very common. These include being a battered spouse or child, a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen, or a child of a foreign diplomat born in the U.S. If you are in this category you will file USCIS Form I-360 Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant.
Category 2: Green Card Through a Job
This green card category is somewhat broad because it doesn’t just deal with your employer. It also includes opportunities to get a green card through investments or having a specialized job.
Your employer can be part of your petition for a green card if you’ve received a job offer for permanent employment in the United States. The first step if for your employer to get a labor certification with the U.S. Department of State and fill out USCIS Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for an Alien Worker.
Investors can get green cards if they put enough money into U.S. businesses. Entrepreneurs who invest at least $1,000,000 into a new business or $500,000 into a business in a targeted employment area can then apply for a green card. The business must create at least 10 permanent jobs within the United States. The form to fill out would be Form I-526 Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.
You can also get a green card if you have extraordinary abilities. This is an extremely rare way to get a green. These applicants typically are considered the best in their field and typically include people like Nobel Prize winners and Olympic athletes.
You can also get a green card if you fall into a special job category. Afghan or Iraqi translators, those who worked for the U.S. government in Iraq, or a member of the armed forces.
Category 3: Being a Refugee or Asylee
Immigrants who entered the United States as a refugee or asylee can apply for a green card one year after entering the country. This also applies to immediate family members of asylees.
Refugees are required to apply for a green card after being in the country for a year.
Asylees are not required to apply for green cards.
Refugees or Asylees typically do not need to file an immigrant petition such as an I-130 or I-140 with the USCIS if they meet the requirements to apply for a green card.
Before starting the application process, there are two questions that you should answer first:
1. Are you eligible to apply?
U.S. immigration laws provide a variety of ways for people to apply for a Green Card. The eligibility requirements may vary depending on the immigrant category you are applying under. Go to our Green Card Eligibility Categories page to see all the possible categories you can apply under and what the eligibility requirements are.
Being Sponsored for a Green Card
Most people who apply for a Green Card will need to complete at least two forms—an immigrant petition and a Green Card application (Form I-485). Someone else usually must file the petition for you (often referred to as sponsoring or petitioning for you), although you may be eligible to file for yourself in some cases.
A green card is a key to becoming a United States citizen. The formal term for a green card is legal permanent residency. Having a green card allows you to legally live and work in the United States. There are essentially three major ways to get a green card. You can get one through family members, and employer or a few other special reasons. This process is a lengthy one but we’ll go over what you need to know.
Category 1: Green Card Through Family
Obtaining a green card through a family member is the most popular way to get a green card. If you’re a close relative to a U.S. citizen or a green card holder you can petition for a green card. This is also one of the easiest ways to obtain legal permanent residency.
If you are a close relative of a U.S. citizen, that is the fastest way to get a green card. U.S. citizens are allowed to petition spouses, unmarried children under 21 years of age and parents over 21 years old. To do so the U.S. citizen must legally establish the relationship using USCIS Form I-130 Petition for an Alien Relative. That application is followed by Form I-485 Adjustment of Status. In certain cases, both applications can be completed together. Close relatives who are not in the United States have to go through consular processing which means their applications are approved by the U.S. Department of State. Once the Department of State issues them a visa they will get a green card when they’re admitted into the United States. U.S. citizens can also petition siblings and married children over 21 but that process takes much longer because these relatives are not considered immediate relatives.
If your immediate relative is a green card holder the process is somewhat the same but it will definitely take longer.
If you get married or turn 21 years old things change and immigration law states you will have to wait longer in order to get a green card through a U.S. citizen relative.
There are also a few special circumstances where you can get a green card but they are not very common. These include being a battered spouse or child, a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen, or a child of a foreign diplomat born in the U.S. If you are in this category you will file USCIS Form I-360 Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant.
Category 2: Green Card Through a Job
This green card category is somewhat broad because it doesn’t just deal with your employer. It also includes opportunities to get a green card through investments or having a specialized job.
Your employer can be part of your petition for a green card if you’ve received a job offer for permanent employment in the United States. The first step if for your employer to get a labor certification with the U.S. Department of State and fill out USCIS Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for an Alien Worker.
Investors can get green cards if they put enough money into U.S. businesses. Entrepreneurs who invest at least $1,000,000 into a new business or $500,000 into a business in a targeted employment area can then apply for a green card. The business must create at least 10 permanent jobs within the United States. The form to fill out would be Form I-526 Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.
You can also get a green card if you have extraordinary abilities. This is an extremely rare way to get a green. These applicants typically are considered the best in their field and typically include people like Nobel Prize winners and Olympic athletes.
You can also get a green card if you fall into a special job category. Afghan or Iraqi translators, those who worked for the U.S. government in Iraq, or a member of the armed forces.
Category 3: Being a Refugee or Asylee
Immigrants who entered the United States as a refugee or asylee can apply for a green card one year after entering the country. This also applies to immediate family members of asylees.
Refugees are required to apply for a green card after being in the country for a year.
Asylees are not required to apply for green cards.
Refugees or Asylees typically do not need to file an immigrant petition such as an I-130 or I-140 with the USCIS if they meet the requirements to apply for a green card.
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