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| Green Cards - 11 ways to get one! |
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The United States offers several ways to become a Permanent Resident (Green Card holder). A Green Card allows you to live and work permanently in the U.S. Below is a list of the various ways that you may qualify for a Green Card. Choose the appropriate category and click Start Now to learn more.
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| 1. Family Based Immigration |
| a. Relatives of U.S. Citizens | | |
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Spouse
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Unmarried child (under the age of 21)
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Unmarried stepchild (under the age of 21)
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Adopted child (under the age of 18) or
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Parent or stepparent
| Start Now | | | •
Unmarried son or daughter (over the age of 21)
| Start Now | | |
• Married son or daughter (any age)
| Start Now |
| | • Brother or Sister | Start Now |
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b. Relatives of Green Card holders | |
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Spouse
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Unmarried child (under the age of 21)
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Unmarried stepchild (under the age of 21)
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Adopted child (under the age of 18) or
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Unmarried son or daughter (over the age of 21)
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Start Now |
| 2. Employment Based Immigration |
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| a. |
Employment First Preference | | | | |
• Persons with extraordinary ability
• Outstanding professors and researchers
• Managers and executives in multinational companies
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Start Now |
| | b. |
Employment Second Preference |
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Professionals with advanced degrees
• Persons with exceptional ability
• Exceptional professors and researchers
| Start Now |
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Employment Second Preference with National
Interest Waiver (NIW) |
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| • | Persons with exceptional ability involved in activities that will substantially benefit the U.S.
national interest | | • |
Advanced degree professionals involved in activities that will substantially benefit the U.S. national interest |
| Start Now |
| | d. | Employment Third Preference |
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Professionals with a U.S. bachelor's or foreign equivalent degree | | • | Skilled workers | | • | Unskilled workers |
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| • | Registered nurses and physical therapists | | • | Persons qualified to work in one of the shortage occupations on the Schedule A list |
| Start Now |
| • | Winners of the Green Card Lottery conducted by the U.S. Department of State. |
| Start Now |
| a. |
Foreign entrepreneurs who invest $500,000 in a commercial enterprise in a targeted employment area that will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least
5 full-time U.S. jobs. | | b. | Foreign entrepreneurs who invest $1,000,000 in a commercial enterprise that will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs. |
| Start Now |
| • | Children under sixteen years of age adopted by U.S. citizens or green card holders. |
| Start Now |
| • | Foreign Nationals who have resided continuously in the U.S. since January 1, 1972. |
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Start Now |
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Foreign nationals that Congress (House of Representatives or Senate) believes have compelling humanitarian factors to stay permanently in the U.S. and for whom the USCIS cannot grant permanent resident status. |
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| • | High-level diplomats on A-1 visa who are unable or unwilling to return to their home country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. |
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| • | Foreign nationals in the U.S. who are unable or unwilling to return to their home country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, or membership in a particular social or political group. |
| Start
Now |
| • | Foreign nationals displaced by war, famine, and civil and political unrest or, unable or unwilling to return to their home country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. |
| • | Foreign nationals in their home country who have experienced persecution in the past or have a well-founded fear of persecution in the future. |
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| | b. | Former employees of U.S. Government
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| Start Now |
| | c. | Former employees of the Panama Canal Zone |
| Start Now |
| | d. | Former employees of U.S. Armed Forces | | Start Now |
| | e. | Retired employees of International Organizations
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| Start Now |
| | f. | Former employees of the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong |
| Start Now |
| | g. | Employees of International Broadcasting Companies |
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| | | Abused spouses and children of U.S. Citizens or Green
Card holders |
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| | | Permanent Residents who departed the U.S. for more
than 12 months |
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| | | Foreign children declared dependent in U.S.
juvenile courts |
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| Green Card Related Services |
| • | Foreign nationals in the U.S. with approved immigration petitions may file for Adjustment of Status to adjust their nonimmigrant status to permanent residence (Green Card). |
| Start Now |
| 2. Consular Processing - Immigrant Visa |
| • | Foreign nationals outside the U.S. with approved immigration petitions must apply for consular processing to receive permanent residence (Green Card). |
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| • | Foreign nationals in the process of adjusting their Immigration Status, who are planning to travel abroad, must obtain advance permission prior to leaving the U.S in order to return to the U.S. |
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| 4. Employment Authorization |
| • | Foreign
nationals who have applied to adjust their status to permanent resident may obtain Employment Authorization Document. |
| Start Now |
| • | U.S. permanent residents planning to leave the U.S. for more than a year must obtain a Reentry Permit prior to leaving the U.S. |
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| • | Marriage-based and Investment-based Green Card holders are subject to conditional residence for a two-year period. Conditional permanent residents must apply during the 90 days before their second anniversary to remove the conditions on their residence. |
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| 7. Replace or Renew Green Card |
| • | You may replace a lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Green Card. | | • |
You may replace an expired Green Card or a Green Card that will expire within the next six months. |
| Start Now |
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