A green card is another name for a United States permanent residency card, and those who hold it have permanent residency in the States. Holders of a green card are also known as lawful permanent residents.
Who Can Get a Green Card?
Green cards are issued to people for a variety of reasons. For example, foreigners who have married U.S. citizens can apply for a green card as can family members of U.S. citizens. Green cards are also issued to foreign workers sponsored by U.S. employers, foreign employees with specialist skills who petition for their own green card, and refugees or asylum seekers.
What is the Green Card Lottery?
If you do not have any family living in the United States, do not have any specialist skills, and are not fleeing your own country because of fear of persecution, you may think you have no chance of moving to the U.S. Nevertheless, every year 55,000 green cards are made available through what is known as the Green Card Lottery.
Through their Diversity Visa Program, the U.S. Department of State holds this lottery, giving residents from various countries around the world the chance to gain permanent residence in the U.S. Residents from some countries are not allowed to apply through the green card lottery, usually those countries that already have a high rate of immigration to the U.S. A country will be excluded from the lottery if more than 50,000 green cards have already been issued to residents from that country in the previous five years.
In addition to being from an included country, you must also meet educational criteria. You must have a minimum of a U.S. high school diploma or equivalent or at least two years of experience working in a qualified profession.
Do I Need Money to Get a Green Card?
If you are eligible to apply for a green card, you will need some money to apply for it. If you are already living in the U.S. when you apply for a green card, you can expect filing fees of $1,760 for a family card. If you are applying outside of the U.S., the fee will be $1,200. You will also have to pay for a medical examination, the price of which will vary depending on who provides the exam.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Green Card?
Immigration law firm Graham Adair says that it can take anywhere from six months to just under five years for a successful green card application. The length of time it takes depends on the type of application and where the application is made. The more complicated the application, the longer it will take.
Spouses, parents, and unmarried children under the age of twenty-one will usually be approved in the fastest timeline. The average wait time is between 21 and 38 months for those applying within the U.S. The wait time is longer for other relatives such as siblings, adult children, or married children under the age of twenty-one. Green cards for employees usually take over two years.
If you are applying outside of the U.S. the wait is between seven and 34 months for spouses, parents, and minor children of a U.S. citizen. The wait time increases for other relatives and employment-based applicants.
How Long Does a Green Card Last?
Most green cards will be valid for ten years, but if your status is classed as conditional permanent residence, your card will likely need to be renewed after just two years. It is important to keep your green card in date and it is recommended that you apply for a new one when you have six months left.
