WHAT IS A GREEN CARD

US Green Card is one of the most-sought-after resident permits in the world. US Green Card also means Permanent Residence Status. It is a permit that allows you to stay indefinitely in the United States and enjoy certain benefits you won’t have otherwise enjoyed.

Obtaining US Green Card is a major step towards becoming a citizen of the United States. When you are given a visa to come to the United States for work, study or visit, your stay is limited to the number of months/years on your visa. However, by obtaining your Green Card, you will have a “Permanent Resident Status” which will allow you to stay permanently in the United States.

What is a Green Card

Note that having a Green Card is not the same as becoming a US citizen. As a foreign national, you have to hold the Conditional Permanent Resident for some number of years before you will become eligible to be a citizen.

The first step towards obtaining your Green Card is to know types of Green Card available and which one you are qualified to obtain. You can obtain US Green Card through:

• Marriage
• Relative (a US citizen’s spouse, parent, or unmarried child of US citizen under 21 years of age)
• Employment
• Refugee
• Long-Time Residents (10 years and above)
• Special cases
• Amnesty
• Visa lottery

Types of US Green Cards

Below are the various categories of Green Card. Check to know which one you may be qualified to obtain.

1. First Preference

This is a category for individuals with special abilities such as professors, distinguished academicians, and researchers. To prove this, you may need to have won awards like Nobel Prize or Pulitzer Price. You may also fall under this category if you are an exceptional sportsman with multiple awards such as Best Footballer in the World and other recognized awards.

2. Second Preference

This category is for workers with exceptional talent or professionals with an advanced degree. If you are interested in a National Interest Waiver, you fall under this category.

3. Third Preference

As a skilled worker or professional, you are eligible to obtain Third Preference or EB-3 Green Card. However, you will need to have at least degree from recognized/accredited university as a professional and at least two years of experience as a skilled worker.

4. Fourth Preference

This is a category for individuals such NATO-6 employees, Armed Forces Members, and workers of certain global organizations. It also includes certain religious workers.

5. Fifth Preference

This is a category for individuals who can afford to invest between $500,000 and$1,000,000 in a business. This investment must at least be able to create 10 new jobs for the citizens of the United States.

6. The Green Card Lottery (Diversity Visa Program)

This is a category is properly the easiest way to obtain a Green Card for United States. You can easily apply in just under 5 minutes and the application fee is only $80.00 if you are single and $120.00 for families. Read more about the program here www.usgreencardoffice.com

How to Obtain Your US Green Card

Now that you’ve known how the United State government categorizes Green Card, let’s proceed to how you can actually get one.

1. Know Your Eligibility

The first step is to check the categories above to know if you are qualified for any of the categories listed above. If you are not sure, you can speak to US immigration lawyer or agency to know your options.

2. File The Correct Petition

If you are qualified for a Green Card, you will need to file a correct petition as follows:

• Your relative must file Form I-130 if you are obtaining a Green Card through family category
• Your employer must file Form I-140 if you are obtaining a Green Card as employer
• You need to file Form I-526 as an investor.
• File form I-360 as a widow/widower

3. Check If Visa is Available In Your Category

After submitting your petition, you will receive a “Visa Bulletin” that shows your place in the Visa queue. You will know if there is an available visa for you. In most cases, there are usually unlimited visas for people applying through immediate relatives.

4. Submit an Application to Register Permanent Residency (Form I-485)

Once Visa becomes available for you, you should file form I-485. However, if you are applying through an immediate family member, you can submit this visa immediately after your initial application since there is no need to wait in the queue. Please note you will have to pay an application filing fee of $1070.

5. Do Your Biometrics

After submitting Form I-485, you will be called for biometrics. Check the center and proceed to complete this task. In some cases, you may also be required to come for an interview. If USCIS call you for an interview, you should see the date, time, and venue. Make sure that you don’t miss it.

6. Wait for a Decision

Once you have done everything, you should await for a decision on your application. When a decision is made, you will receive a mail. If it is positive, you are now a Green Card holder. However, you can appeal if you are denied. To appeal, you may require the services of US Immigration lawyer.