There are four main ways for you to become a green card holder which allows you the right to legally work and live in the U.S. permanently. These four categories are as follows:

  • Green card through family
  • Green card through job
  • Green card through refugee or asylee status
  • Other ways to get a green card

If you wish to sponsor a family member, there are a few categories of people that may be sponsored for a green card. This includes,

  • Immediate family such as,

o Spouses

o Unmarried children under the age of 21

o Parents of a U.S. citizen who has reached the age of majority (21)

  • Family members in a preference category, this may be,

o Unmarried sons or daughters over the age of twenty one

o Married children of any age

o Brothers or sisters of a U.S. citizen who has reached the age of majority (21)

  • Family member of green card holders including only,

o Spouses

o Unmarried children

  • Family members in the special category such as,

o Widow(er) of a U.S. citizen

o Battered spouse or children

o Person born to foreign diplomat

o Fiancée

There are a few ways for you to gain access to a green card through an occupation,

  • Through a job offer
  • Through investment
  • Through a self-petition
  • Through special categories

If you were admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or a family member of an asylee, or you were granted asylum, you can apply for a green card after one year.

  • If you were entered as a refugee or family member of an asylee, it is one year after you entered the U.S.
  • If you were granted asylum, it is one year after you were granted asylum

Other ways to get a green card consists of all the special categories. As mentioned above, in the family class and green card through a job, there were special categories. All special categories fall into “other ways to get a green card”. There are three main categories in this class,

  • Special categories of family

o Fiancée

o Widow(er)

  • Special categories of jobs

o Armed forces member

o Religious worker

  • Other green card programs

o Haitian refugee

o Victim of trafficking

If you require further information regarding how to obtain a green card and the processes, contact Akrami & Associates today. With the aid of our legal team, there is always a way.