Obtaining permanent resident status in the United States is something that many immigrants wish for. There may be different ways in which you may be eligible to obtain a green card, along with different approaches for applying for one. Follow along to find out the different pathways for obtaining a green card and how a proficient green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C. can point you in the right direction.
What are the different pathways to obtaining a green card?
Notably, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) acknowledges three different pathways to obtaining a green card. They are as follows:
- Family-based green card: this is intended for immediate relatives of United States citizens (i.e., parents, spouses, or unmarried children under the age of 21) that do not have to wait for a visa.
- Job- or employment-based green card: this is intended for individuals outside of the country who have a qualifying job offer or otherwise employment inside the country.
- Refugee- or asylum-based green card: this is intended for refugees, spouses of refugees, children of refugees, or individuals who were granted asylum in the United States for at least one year.
How do I apply for a green card?
If you qualify for a family-based, job/employment-based, or refugee/asylum-based green card in the United States, then you must properly petition for it. That is, you must submit an Adjustment of Status Application, along with all the necessary documentation that it must be supplemented with. You may even be required to attend a biometrics exam and a formal interview with a USCIS officer. And if you wish to work or travel to and from the United States before your application is approved, then you may also have to file an employment authorization form.
Unfortunately, submitting your petition for a green card does not automatically guarantee you are going to receive one. These are a hot commodity, which is why there is an annual green card lottery. This system is administered by the United States Department of State through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. It makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available each year, which are randomly selected from all entries. To be eligible for a green card via this lottery, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must have had one of the 50,000 entries that were drawn in this lottery.
- You must have been admissible to the United States at the time of the drawing.
- You must have had an immigrant visa immediately available at the time of the drawing.
You must make a valiant effort toward submitting your green card application. Reach out to a talented Milwaukee, WI family immigration lawyer at Sesini Law Group, S.C. to learn how to get started on this process.