How to Get a Green Card
Determine whether you can get a green card through family., Determine whether you are eligible to get a green card through a job., Determine if you have fall into the refugee or asylee green card category.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine whether you can get a green card through family.
This is one of the most common ways to get a green card, an in many ways the simplest.
If you're directly related to a US citizen, US immigration law allows your relative to petition for you to be able to live in the US.
Many obtain a green card as the immediate relative of a US citizen.
If you're a US citizen's spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21, or parent of a US citizen over the age of 21, your relative may be able to file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.You would then follow up by going through the "Adjustment of Status" process to become a permanent resident of the US.The procedure is slightly different for people not already in the United States, and is referred to as "consular processing"; a visa is administered by the US Department of State, and you would become a permanent resident once you are admitted into the US.
The procedure is similar, but slower, if you are trying to get a green card through an immediate relative who is a permanent resident, but not yet a US citizen.
If you turn older than 21 or get married, your status as an immediate family member changes, and this can delay getting your green card under the "family" category.
You can also get a green card through special family situations including being a battered spouse or child, a widow or widower of a US citizen, or a child of a foreign diplomat born in the US. -
Step 2: Determine whether you are eligible to get a green card through a job.
This general category is divided among many subcategories, but essentially entails all instances of green cards being issued for purposes related to a job offer, investment or having a specialized job.
Determine whether one of the following situations applies to you:
You've received a permanent job offer for employment in the US.
If this is the case, your employer will need to get a labor certificationand fill out Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker.You want to get a green card through investment.
If you're an entrepreneur and have made an investment of either $1,000,000 or $500,000 in a targeted employment area, and plan to create at least 10 jobs for US citizens, you can apply for a green card through investment.You'll need to fill out Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.
You have extraordinary abilities and want to self-petition for a green card.
Very talented or extraordinarily skilled people who are considered to be the best in their field (Nobel Prize winners, top athletes, etc.) can self petition for a green card.
This is an extremely rare category.You fall into a special job category.
If you're an Afghan or Iraqi translator, an Afghan or Iraqi who assisted the US government, a member of the armed forces, or fall into another special category, you can get a green card that way., If you entered the US as a refugee or an asylee, or as an immediate family member of an asylee, you can apply for a green card 1 year after entering the country.
If you're in the country as a refugee, it is mandatory to apply for permanent status after being in the country for a year.If you're in the country as an asylee, it is not mandatory to apply for green card status. -
Step 3: Determine if you have fall into the refugee or asylee green card category.
Detailed Guide
This is one of the most common ways to get a green card, an in many ways the simplest.
If you're directly related to a US citizen, US immigration law allows your relative to petition for you to be able to live in the US.
Many obtain a green card as the immediate relative of a US citizen.
If you're a US citizen's spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21, or parent of a US citizen over the age of 21, your relative may be able to file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.You would then follow up by going through the "Adjustment of Status" process to become a permanent resident of the US.The procedure is slightly different for people not already in the United States, and is referred to as "consular processing"; a visa is administered by the US Department of State, and you would become a permanent resident once you are admitted into the US.
The procedure is similar, but slower, if you are trying to get a green card through an immediate relative who is a permanent resident, but not yet a US citizen.
If you turn older than 21 or get married, your status as an immediate family member changes, and this can delay getting your green card under the "family" category.
You can also get a green card through special family situations including being a battered spouse or child, a widow or widower of a US citizen, or a child of a foreign diplomat born in the US.
This general category is divided among many subcategories, but essentially entails all instances of green cards being issued for purposes related to a job offer, investment or having a specialized job.
Determine whether one of the following situations applies to you:
You've received a permanent job offer for employment in the US.
If this is the case, your employer will need to get a labor certificationand fill out Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker.You want to get a green card through investment.
If you're an entrepreneur and have made an investment of either $1,000,000 or $500,000 in a targeted employment area, and plan to create at least 10 jobs for US citizens, you can apply for a green card through investment.You'll need to fill out Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.
You have extraordinary abilities and want to self-petition for a green card.
Very talented or extraordinarily skilled people who are considered to be the best in their field (Nobel Prize winners, top athletes, etc.) can self petition for a green card.
This is an extremely rare category.You fall into a special job category.
If you're an Afghan or Iraqi translator, an Afghan or Iraqi who assisted the US government, a member of the armed forces, or fall into another special category, you can get a green card that way., If you entered the US as a refugee or an asylee, or as an immediate family member of an asylee, you can apply for a green card 1 year after entering the country.
If you're in the country as a refugee, it is mandatory to apply for permanent status after being in the country for a year.If you're in the country as an asylee, it is not mandatory to apply for green card status.
About the Author
Lori Webb
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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