How You Can Become a Lawful Permanent Resident
You’ve left your home country and come to America, but you’re only here on a temporary visa. You know that you want to live here permanently, but you’re not sure how you can make that happen. Let’s look at the ways that you can become a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
Getting a Green Card
To earn the right to permanently reside in the United States, you need to apply for and receive a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “green card,” which is not the same thing as a “visa.” A visa is a document issued by the U.S. Department of State, typically given out at American embassies in foreign countries. A visa won’t guarantee you entry into the United States—the ultimate decision is made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. The visa typically appears as a stamp on your passport, but may also be in the form of a separate document. If you are not a United States citizen, you will typically need some type of visa to be allowed entry into the United States.
Some visas are referred to as “immigrant” visas, allowing you to become a lawful permanent resident upon entry into the country. When you come into the country under an immigrant visa, you’ll typically receive a green card within a short period of time, and without the need to file a further application.
A non-immigrant visa, however, allows you to stay in the United States for a limited period of time. If you enter the country under a non-immigrant visa, you must seek a “change of status” to obtain a green card and become a lawful permanent resident.
How Can You Qualify for a Green Card?
There are a number of ways to obtain a green card:
- If you are an immediate relative of an American citizen—this includes spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, parents of children over the age of 21, certain stepchildren and stepparents, and certain adopted children of citizens or lawful permanent residents
- Other family members of citizens or lawful permanent residents—adult unmarried children of U.S. citizens, spouses and unmarried children of a green card holder, all married children of U.S. citizens, and siblings of adult U.S. citizens
- Preferred workers, generally limited to those who have a legitimate job offer in the United States
- The annual diversity green card lottery, where 50,000 green cards are potentially available every year to people from countries that have sent the fewest immigrants to America
- Individuals who have sought and been granted refuge or asylum in the United States
- Long-time residents of the United States—people who have lived illegally in the United States for at least 10 years
- Special categories, such as minors in the care of a juvenile court, retired employees of the American government and international broadcasters
- Persons who may need lawful permanent residency for humanitarian reasons
Contact the Experienced Immigration Lawyers at Bailey & Galyen
At the law office of Bailey & Galyen, we offer a free initial consultation to every client. To speak with an effective, results-oriented immigration attorney, contact us by e-mail or 844-402-2992 at one of the convenient locations listed below. We will take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
