After applying for US citizenship, the 2nd most common immigration lawyer enquiry is assistance with green cards. There are many different ways that you could be qualified to apply for a US green card. On this page you can study our discourse of many of these methods. The principle green card categorizations green cards through employment, diversity immigrant green cards, family-based green cards, green cards through humanitarian grounds, and special immigrant green cards. 

Green Cards Through Family

The most popular US green card is a green card through family option. Family dependent green cards is divided into 2 classes. The first class is for direct relatives of citizens of the USA. The second category is family based preference immigration. 

Children, parents and souses come under the 1st family green card category. And from those three choices, adults applying for their spouses are the commonest. To get a green card by means of marrying, the US citizen petitions for their partner to receive an immigrant visa. As soon as they have an immigrant visa, they will then apply to be a permanent resident. This procedure is completed via plenty of form filling and supplying tons of additional info. Children can fall under this category too, and it may be a step child, an adopted child, or a biological child. Family based cards for fathers and mothers can be applied for by children who are already United States citizens and are over 21 years of age. The crucial aspect of immigration through relatives is that you never have to wait at all an immigrant visa.

Family preference immigration is for relatives who are non-immediate. Family preference has four categories. These four categories are: sisters and brothers of adult United States citizens, unmarried sons and daughters, children and spouses of LPRs aged 21 or over, married sons and daughters of US citizens and their children and spouses, and unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens aged 21 or over. Waiting times for these categories vary from 2 years up to 22 years.

Employment Green Cards

The second most widespread green card is the green card for employment. These employment green cards have different preference classifications just like the preference by family classifications. A certain quantity of US green cards are granted from each category. The 5 preference categories are: 1. The 1st level of preference is for immigrant workers having extraordinary abilities. 2. The next level of preference is for immigrant workers who've got advanced degrees and are extremely highly educated. 3. The third level of preference is for immigrant workers having a bachelor’s degree or considerable work experience. 4. The fourth preference relates to special immigrant visas. 5. Fifth level of preference relates to aliens generating work in the States by way of significant investment.

The first preference category is for aliens with extraordinary ability. You will find three ways to gain eligibility for this group. You can meet the criteria by demonstrating that you've got exceptional aptitude in the arts, education, athletics, business, or science. You can in addition be eligible if you're a remarkable researcher, executive, professor, or multinational manager. This one is the simplest categorization by which to get a visa through employment and lots of these green cards are obtainable. 

The second level of preference applies to immigrant workers who are extremely highly educated with significant degrees. You can qualify for this second category by having a masters degree or above that you use for your employment.

The next preference category is for aliens with significant work experience or a bachelor's degree. Therefore it means that you do not necessarily have to have a bachelor’s degree to meet the requirements. You just have to have a bit of work experience. There are an extremely restricted number of visas for this particular categorization.

The fourth and fifth preference categories are really uncommon. They're visas as a special immigrant and entrepreneurs green cards. The green cards as a special immigrant incorporate so many individual cases, that we're not going to deal with them now. Individuals pretty much never get hold of employment based green cards from the 4th categorization. And the 5th categorization, visas for entrepreneurs, is only for foreigners that create employment in the United States. This may be through making a direct investment such as buying a specific qualifying business. Or even, by investing in a regional center that's got particular projects meeting USCIS standards. Again, there are hardly any visas available for this category level either, so we are not looking any further into this. 

United States Humanitarian Green Cards

Another category of US green cards is humanitarian cards. The States sometimes chooses a humanitarian stance when dealing with individuals who would like to enter the USA because of persecution or abuse. It may also adopt the humanitarian stance to individuals who have already entered the USA. Humanitarian green cards can include asylee green cards, parole in place green cards, green cards for refugees, and deferred action for child arrivals.

Asylee US green cards are intended for those who have previously been given asylum and been living in the USA for twelve months or more. They'll also have to confirm that they still qualify as an individual who has been given asylum.

US refugee green cards relate to applicants who dwell outside of the US, who America holds a special humanitarian concern for. Such a refugee will be able to demonstrate persecution, and not have settled in another country on a permanent basis. Notwithstanding what persecution that a refugee suffers from, they still have to be admissible. As soon as allowed into America through this route, you straight away become entitled for a United States green card. 

Parole in Place US green cards relate to military wives and husbands. They permit military wives and husbands to have an illegal entry to America overlooked. The wife or husband may change their standing in the States, to become a lawful permanent resident and obtain a green card. This way, military husbands and wives do not have to leave the United States, and maybe be subject to bars to re-entry, simply to have to submit an application for an immigrant green card to return. 

That covers the 3 significant humanitarian visas. Trying to get humanitarian green cards is really convoluted. Furthermore, it is extremely tough to recognize whether or not you actually qualify for one. Lawyers specializing in immigration will help you work out if you're eligible. 

Diversity Lottery and Special Immigrant US Green Cards

The fourth and fifth green card categories are diversity lottery visas and special immigrant visas. These 2 categories are really so specialized and uncommon that we aren't going to go into them much today. Several of the green cards for special immigrants are religious workers, some Panama Canal employees, members of the armed forces, specific physicians, Iraqui or Afghan Translators, and Amerasian. There are in fact a lot more, but those mentioned are some illustrations of what's available.

Diversity lottery green cards are drawn by random selection among all entries from various countries with low rates of immigration to the States. To see if you may qualify for any sort of special US green card, it's always best to talk to an immigration attorney. They are extremely knowledgeable and will assist you in working out which US green card suits you.

Conclusion

You are able to see that the United States government provides many different ways to acquire a US green card. Though, everyone can't receive one since not everyone can meet the criteria. To improve the likelihood of you getting eligibility, you can schedule a meeting with a qualified immigration lawyer that's knowledgable regarding the green card category, that you aspire to get. So, if you've got a family member or spouse who wants to sponsor you, seek advice from an immigration lawyer who deals with family centered green cards.