Most Common Ways to obtain a Green Card or US Residency:
The three ways that most people obtain Legal Permanent Residence [1] are:
- Family based petitions [2]
- Business or employment based petitions [3], OR
- Special Programs
Family petitions involve a US citizen or Legal Permanent resident applying for family members. For example a US Legal permanent resident can apply for a spouse or any unmarried child. On the other hand a US citizen, can apply for a spouse, a child (single or married), a parent, or even a brother or sister.
Business and employment residency or green card petitions can be filed on behalf of an employee as well as an executive or even an owner of a business. For example, the owner of a business that is investing a certain level of capital in the US and providing new employment opportunities is eligible to apply for his own green card. Similarly, an employer may petition for an employee to obtain a employment residency/green card. And this is a great option for those who do not have a family petition available to them.
Employment petitions may also be used to bring family members who are outside the US, if an employer is willing to petition for them. This may also provide a benefit to the individual here who is out of status and cannot obtain residency directly in the US, as it makes them eligible to apply for a waiver through their now resident family member who was the beneficiary of the employment green card.
Special programs exist that make green cards available for people such as those who have been granted asylum in the US, those who have won the green card lottery, those who have been victims of certain crimes or domestic abuse, certain juveniles who have been abandoned in the US, and for some people who have been in the US for 10 years or longer and have members of their families who are US citizens or Residents and who have special needs or circumstances.
Waiting periods of time
Most residency or green card petitions have waiting periods of time because there is a limited number that can be given out each year and the if there are not enough visas at the end of the year the additional applicants have to wait in line.
To learn more about these wait periods, eligibility requirements, and documents needed, please visit this web page [1].
If you are in the Massachusetts or the New England area and want the assistance of our experienced Boston immigration lawyers in preparing your residency petition, please contact our office to make an appointment at: (617) 303-2600.