How to Become a Green Card Holder in the USA?

According to the US Immigration law, individuals must obtain a visa or permit to enter USA. A visa is basically an official permit that authorizes an individual to enter America for specific reasons and for a specified timeframe. There are different types of permits/visas depending on people’s nature of visit to America, such as study, work and travel. These factors are taken into consideration to device which is the appropriate permit for a specific case.

There are 2 main types of visas in America:

1. Immigrant Visa: It is for people who intend to relocate to America to live as well as work permanently. They also seek Green Card and become Lawful Permanent Residents.


2. Non Immigrant Visa: It is meant for people who want to come to America for a specific purpose temporarily. Typically, people choose H1B Work Visa, L1 Intra-Company Transfer Visa, K and V Fiancée Visa, F1 Study Visa and others for this purpose.

How to become a Green Card Holder in the USA?

To become a permanent resident of USA, people should obtain a Green Card.

A Green Card in America is issued by the USCIS (US Immigration Service) to foreign nationals to grant them lawful permanent residency in the country. Green card also allows people to live and work in America. I-551 is the official name of Permanent Resident Card.

There are 4 ways in which people can obtain a Green Card in America:

#1: Green Card Sponsorship and Employment

This is perhaps the easiest way to get lawful citizenship status in America. You can get both official permanent citizenship card and a job in America. To get this you need not be present in America for your present employer to file the application for Green Card. You don’t need to have a specific college degree. You don’t need to be employed with the petitioner company. Your employer can sponsor you and pay all dues for the application including relocation costs.

#2: Win a Green Card through Lottery

Green Card Lottery, also called Diversity Lottery (DV) is a program that is mandated under Section 203(c) of the US Immigration Act, 1990. This lottery program gives away 50,000 permanent resident immigration visas through random selection. An annual lottery program is conducted to help immigrants win a chance and enter the USA.

#3: Green Card through Family Members

If you have any immediate family member holding US citizenship of Green Card, you can use it. To become American resident, you have to go through multiple processes. There are certain eligibility requirements and categories to be fulfilled to apply through this channel.

#4: Green Card by Wedding

If you get married to a US Green Card Holder or Citizen, you can get US citizenship visa. Getting married to any United States citizen comes under the K visa category to be used by a spouse of US citizenship and the spouse’s child. Even though the process takes more than 6 to 8 months in other countries, in the USA it generally takes about 12 to 18 months from the date of filing. During that period, the applicant can live and work in the USA, if already in the country. However, those who apply from abroad should wait outside the USA during the processing period.

Special Immigrant Green Card

Occasionally, law may be passed to make US Green Card available to people in some special circumstances. The present categories are:

• Religious workers can receive permit on legitimate religious grounds


• Foreign medical graduates present in the USA since 1978


• Panama Canal Zone former employees


• Foreign workers formerly long-time US government employees


• Retired employees or officers of some international organizations who have spent their lives in the USA for a longtime with their spouses and unmarried kids


• Foreign workers and previous employees of the US consulate in Hong Kong for 3 years


• Foreign children declared dependent in the US juvenile courts, and


• Employees of the InternationalBroadcasting.