USA

A Green Card or Permanent Residence Card helps you in getting:

• Official immigrant status in the United States of America.
• Makes you eligible for certain rights and responsibilities.
• Naturalization as a US citizen.

If you have a green card aka Permanent Resident Card of USA, it indicates that you are allowed to live and work in the country permanently. There are two main ways through which you can apply for the Green Card, such as –

• Family sponsorship: Family-based sponsorship is provided for the immediate family member of the USA citizen. The list of family members can consist of spouses, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.
• Employment-based Green Cards: Employment-based green cards are considered the best depending on work experience and skills. There are 5 sub-categories under this category which are also called EB visas. These are – 
• EB-1 Visa for Priority workers
• EB-2 Visa for Advanced degree professionals
• EB-3 Visa for skilled and unskilled workers
• EB-4 Visa for Special immigrants
• EB-5 Visa for Investors

What is the Diversity Visa Program or Green Card Lottery?

Almost 50,000 candidates are invited every year through the Green Card Lottery system to start a new life in the USA. These 50,000 applicants are chosen from the countries which have low immigration rates to the USA.

What is it meant by Refugee or Asylum status?

People who are experiencing life-threatening conditions in their native country are allowed to live in the country. After 1 year of refuge in the USA, asylum seekers can apply for a Green Card. Long-term resident non-residents might get away from extradition procedures and apply for a green card assuming they can demonstrate their expulsion from the nation would make it serious difficulty for another US resident or super durable occupant.

What is the processing time to get the Green Card of the USA?

The processing time for the Permanent Residence in the USA is much longer than in any other country. I generally take 6 to 33 months to get a Green Card from the Government of the USA.

How to Renew or Replace a Green Card in the US?

One must need to file Form I-90 with USCIS to renew or replace the Green Card. Most of the Green Cards are issued for 10 years. But the Conditional Green Card is issued for only 2 years. Conditional cardholders can convert it for 10 years through a process called “Removal of Conditions on Residency”.

What are the benefits of the US Green Cards?

There are many benefits of getting a Green Card of the USA, such as –

• The option to apply for US Citizenship in 3 to 5 years.
• Protection from deportation.
• You do not lose the citizenship of your native country.
• You get protection by US laws.
• You get to sponsor family members for a green card.
• Ease to travel to and from the country.
• You can renew your status after every 10 years.
• Travel and live in the USA without any cap.
• Eligibility for the social security benefits, educational benefits, etc.
• Access to engage in political activities.

1. Family-based Immigration: This category is for individuals to sponsor their family members to immigrate to the US. There are two groups in which family-based immigration takes place, such as – 

1. Immediate relative: These are based on the candidates with close family relation

• IR-1: Spouse of US citizen
• IR-2: Unmarried child under the age of 21 years
• IR-3: Orphan adopted by the citizen abroad
• IR-4: Orphan adopted by the citizen in the US
• IR-5: Parent of a US citizen.

1. Family preference: This category belongs to the specific, more distant, family relationships of US citizens.

• F1: Unmarried children of US citizens under the age of 21 years.
• F2: Spouses, minor and unmarried children of LPRs.
• F3: Married children, their spouses, and minor children.
• F4: Siblings of US citizens, their spouses, and minor children.

2. Employment-based Green Card: 

Almost 140,000 immigrant visas are available for job seekers depending on the skill they have. If you have the correct mixture of skills, education, or/and experience. You have to fill the I-140 petition to get the green card under this category. Types of Employment-based green cards are –

1. EB-1: Priority workers

• People with extraordinary abilities in science, arts, technology, business, or athletics.
• Outstanding researchers and professors
• Multinational and talented managers and executives.

1. EB-2: Professional and Exceptional abilities
2. Professionals with an advanced degree.
3. Talented individuals in science, business, or arts

• EB-3: Skilled and Unskilled workers
• Skilled workers
• Professionals
• Unskilled worker

1. EB-4: Special immigrants
2. Religious ministers
3. Retired members of International Organizations
4. Persons recruited in the US armed forces.
5. Exceptional Immigrant Juveniles;
6. Certain telecasters;
7. Certain resigned officials or workers of a G-4 global association or NATO-6 non-military personnel representatives and their relatives;
8. Certain workers of the U.S. government who are abroad and their relatives;
9. Individuals from the U.S. military;
10. Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone government workers;
11. Certain doctors authorized and rehearsed medication in a U.S. state as of Jan. 9, 1978;
12. Afghan or Iraqi interpreters or translators;
13. Iraqis who were utilized by or in the interest of the U.S. government; and
14. Afghans that were utilized by the U.S. government or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

One has to fill Form I-360 to apply for the PR Visa with supporting documents

1. EB-5: This is for the foreign capital investors in the US which creates job opportunities.

How to apply for a US Green Card?

1. File the Petition on USCIS Form I-130 with the required documents.
2. USCIS decides on the petition submitted by you.
3. If selected, the immigrant applies for a residence visa or green card.

Green Card Interview:

When you apply for the Green card, you should be ready to appear for an interview as well.