Green Cards
How do you qualify for a green card?
How do you qualify for a green card?
A green card, known officially as a Permanent Residence Card, is a document issued to immigrants under the Immigration and Nationality Act, bestowing the rights, benefits, and privileges of permanently residing in the United States.
Green Card And Visa Applications For Permanent Resident Status
At Saenz-Rodriguez & Associates, our lawyers guide applicants through the complicated process of applying for lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. — more commonly known as, applying for a "green card." The "green card" is actually evidence that you hold permanent resident status.
We have been practicing immigration law exclusively for more than 20 years. From our offices are in Dallas, Texas, we offer legal assistance to clients throughout the state, across the nation and internationally.
Who Can Apply For Permanent Resident Status?
There are several ways to obtain your green card. You may be eligible to apply for permanent resident status through a family member, an employer or a humanitarian program such as asylum. If you are already in the U.S., you may be eligible to file for adjustment of status. If you are not, you will need to obtain an immigrant visa at the U.S. Consulate in your home country. After you arrive in the U.S., the green card will be sent to you.
Before applying for your green card, you must first have an approved petition in one of the categories listed below. In some situations, you can file the immigrant visa application and the adjustment of status application at the same time. We will discuss whether this is an option for you.
Categories Of Eligibility For Green Cards
There are several categories of eligibility, with the most common being categorized as either family-based (i.e., immediate relatives and spouses) or employment-based. The U.S. government determines the number of immigrant visas that will be available every year. Some categories receive more visas than others, depending upon the family relationship, current needs of U.S. employers and humanitarian crises around the world.
The following are the most common eligibility categories for permanent residence:
- Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens — There are no limits on the number of applicants who can be approved; this category includes spouses of U.S. citizens including LGBT couples married in states that recognize their marriages, parents and unmarried children under the age of 21.
- Other family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents — There are limits on the number of applicants who can be approved each year. The waiting period can be very long for siblings or adult children.
- Preferred employees and workers — Each year, only a set number of employment-based immigrant visa applications can be approved. This number is divided among several types of employment categories that include individuals of extraordinary ability in their occupation to highly skilled technical workers to unskilled laborers.
- Refugees and asylees — The cap for this category may vary each year.
