America is a dream country and getting a Green Card in USA is a dream of millions of people. Green Card in USA allows you to live and work permanently in the United States. Green Card is officially known as a Permanent Resident Card. Getting your Green Card is a path to get citizenship of USA in future.
We’ll now look into different ways to apply for Green Card in USA along with eligibility criteria in each way.
9 ways to get a Green Card in USA
You can apply for a green card through your family, your employer, and for other special reasons.
Get a Green Card in US through Family
This is the easiest, common and simplest way to get your Green Card in US. 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.
| You may be eligible to apply as a… | If you are the… |
|---|---|
| Immediate relative of a U.S. citizen |
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| Other relative of a U.S. citizen or relative of a lawful permanent resident under the family-based preference categories |
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| Fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen or the fiancé(e)’s child |
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| Widow(er) of a U.S. citizen | Widow or widower of a U.S. citizen and you were married to your U.S. citizen spouse at the time your spouse died |
| Abused spouse, child, or parent
(VAWA self-petitioner – victim of battery or extreme cruelty) |
|
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| Green Card in US |
Get a Green Card in USA through Employment
You may be eligible to apply as an Immigrant worker if you
- Are a first preference immigrant worker, meaning you:
- Have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, or
- Are an outstanding professor or researcher, or
- Are a multinational manager or executive who meets certain criteria
- Are a second preference immigrant worker, meaning you:
- Are a member of a profession that requires an advanced degree, or
- Have exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business, or
- Are seeking a national interest waiver
- Are a third preference immigrant worker, meaning you are:
- A skilled worker (meaning your job requires a minimum of 2 years training or work experience), or
- A professional (meaning your job requires at least a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a foreign equivalent and you are a member of the profession), or
- An unskilled worker (meaning you will perform unskilled labor requiring less than 2 years training or experience)
You may be eligible to apply as a Physician National Interest Waiver
if you’re a physician who agrees to work full-time in clinical practice in a designated underserved area for a set period of time and also meets other eligibility requirements
You may be eligible to apply as an Immigrant investor
if you have invested or are actively in the process of investing at least $1 million (or $500,000 in a targeted employment area) in a new commercial enterprise in the U.S. which will create full-time positions for at least 10 qualifying employees
Get a Green Card in USA through Refugee or Asylee Status
You may be eligible to apply as an Asylee, if you were granted asylum status at least 1 year ago or as a Refugee, if you were admitted as a refugee at least 1 year ago
Get a Green Card in USA as a Special Immigrant
| You may be eligible to apply as a… | If you… |
|---|---|
| Religious worker | Are a member of a religious denomination coming to the U.S. to work for a nonprofit religious organization |
| Special Immigrant Juvenile | Are a child who has been abused, abandoned, or neglected by your parent and you have SIJ status |
| Afghanistan or Iraq national |
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| International broadcaster | Are coming to work in the U.S. as a member of the media |
| Employee of an international organization or family member or NATO-6 employee or family member | Are a retired officer or employee of certain international organizations, or NATO, and certain family members
Go to the Green Card through Other Categories section for information on other eligibility categories for diplomats.
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Get a Green Card in USA for Human Trafficking and Crime Victims
| You may be eligible to apply as a… | If you… |
|---|---|
| Human trafficking victim | Currently have a T nonimmigrant visa |
| Crime victim | Currently have a U nonimmigrant visa |
Get a Green Card in USA for Victims of Abuse
| You may be eligible to apply as a… | If you are… |
|---|---|
| An abused spouse, child, or parent |
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| Special Immigrant Juvenile | Are a child who has been abused, abandoned, or neglected by your parent and you have SIJ status |
| An abused (victim of battery or extreme cruelty) spouse or child under the Cuban Adjustment Act | The abused spouse or child of a Cuban native or citizen |
| An abused (victim of battery or extreme cruelty) spouse or child under Haitian Refugee Immigrant Fairness Act (HRIFA) | The abused spouse or child of a lawful permanent resident who received his or her Green Card based on HRIFA |
Get a Green Card in USA through Other Categories
| You may be eligible to apply under this category… | If you… |
|---|---|
| Diversity Immigrant Visa Program | Were selected for a diversity visa in the Department of State’s diversity visa lottery |
| Cuban Adjustment Act |
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| An abused (victim of battery or extreme cruelty) spouse or child under the Cuban Adjustment Act | Are the abused spouse or child of a Cuban native or citizen |
| Dependent status under the HRIFA | Are the spouse or child of a lawful permanent resident who received his or her Green Card based on the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) |
| An abused (victim of battery or extreme cruelty) spouse or child under HRIFA | Are the abused spouse or child of a lawful permanent resident who received his or her Green Card based on HRIFA |
| Lautenberg parolee | Were paroled into the U.S. as a Lautenberg parolee |
| Indochinese Parole Adjustment Act of 2000 | Are a native or citizen of Vietnam, Kampuchea (Cambodia), or Laos who was paroled into the U.S. on or before Oct. 1, 1997 from Vietnam under the Orderly Departure Program, a refugee camp in East Asia, or a displaced person camp administered by UNHCR in Thailand. |
| American Indian born in Canada | Have 50% or more of blood of the American Indian race and were born in Canada |
| Person born in the United States to a foreign diplomat | Were born in the United States to a foreign diplomatic officer who was stationed in the U.S. when you were born. |
| Section 13 (diplomat) | Were stationed in the United States as a foreign diplomat or high ranking official and are unable to return home |
Get a Green Card in USA through Registry
You may be eligible to register for a Green Card if you have resided continuously in the U.S. since before Jan. 1, 1972.
Get a Green Card in USA through Green Card Lottery
This program runs each year and provides “Green Cards” to applicants randomly selected in a lottery process – known as Green Card Lottery. To be eligible to apply for the green card lottery, you must be a native or a country with a low rate of immigration to the United States.
Countries that have sent more than 50,000 foreign nationals to the United States in the last five years are unable to apply for this visa.
There is no cost to enter the Green Card lottery, but the only way to apply is to complete and send a form electronically at the US Department of State’s Website during the registration period.
In order to qualify for the lottery, a person must have at least a high school education or two years of trade work experience.
General Application Process to get Green Card
Here is the general application process that most applicants will go through:
- Someone usually must file an immigrant petition for you. In some cases, you may be eligible to file for yourself.
- After USCIS approves the immigrant petition, and there is a visa available in your category, you file either a Green Card application with USCIS or a visa application with the U.S. Department of State.
- You go to a biometrics appointment to provide fingerprints, photos, and a signature.
- You go to an interview.
- You receive a decision on your application.
Sample Green Card
You may download and see a sample of Green Card for your knowledge.
