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📘 Complete Guide to Green Cards and Visas for Living and Working in the United States

Written by admin on . Posted in GUIDE, news.

Moving to the United States is a dream for many, but to turn it into reality, it is essential to understand the different options available to obtain a Green Card (permanent residence) or a Seen that allows you to live and work legally in the country.

📊 How many Green Cards are issued each year?

Every year, the United States releases approximately 1 million Green Cards.The main categories include:

  • Family-based Green Card: approximately 480,000, with a guaranteed minimum of 226,000, depending on the number of direct family members admitted the previous year.
  • Employment-based Green Cardup to 140,000, with the possibility of increasing if there are unused visas from other categories.
  • Diversity Visa (DV Lottery)55,000 Green Cards are awarded annually to citizens of countries with low rates of immigration to the US.

It is important to note that there are country limits, which prevent any single country from receiving more than 7% of the Green Cards available in each category, contributing to long waiting lists for countries with high demand, such as India, China, and Mexico. ​

🟢 How to Get a Green Card: All Possible Paths

1. Family-based Green Card

U.S. citizens and permanent residents can sponsor certain family members to obtain a Green Card:

  • US citizensthey can sponsor spouses, unmarried children under 21, parents (if the citizen is at least 21 years old), and brothers/sisters.
  • Permanent residents (Green Card holders)they can sponsor spouses and unmarried children of any age.

Family visa categories include:

  • IR1/CR1spouses of US citizens
  • IR2unmarried children of US citizens
  • IR5parents of US citizens
  • F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4: other family categories with annual limits and variable waiting times USCIS​

2. Employment-based Green Card

There are five main categories of employment-based visas:

  • EB-1workers with extraordinary abilities, prominent professors and researchers, managers and multinational executives
  • EB-2professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability
  • EB-3skilled workers, professionals and other workers
  • EB-4special immigrants, such as religious workers
  • EB-5investors who create at least 10 full-time jobs in the USA

3. Green Card through the Diversity Visa Program (DV Lottery)

Each year, the United States government makes up to 55,000 Green Cards available through a lottery for individuals from countries with low immigration rates to the US. The main requirements include:

  • Being born in an eligible country
  • Have at least a high school diploma or two years of work experience in a skilled occupation

4. Alternative Paths to the Green Card

  • Asylum or refugee statusAfter a year of residence in the USA, it is possible to apply for a Green Card.
  • U or T Status: for victims of crime or human trafficking
  • VAWAfor victims of domestic violence
  • Registryfor those who have resided continuously in the US since January 1, 1972

Contact us for a Free Preliminary Assessment

Navigating the complex U.S. immigration system can be difficult. Our team of legal experts is ready to assist you in choosing the path that best suits your needs.

👉 Contact us for a free preliminary evaluation clicking here

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