The goal of almost every immigrant to the United States is obtaining a U.S. green card, the small but immeasurably important sign that you are legally allowed to live and work in the country. Getting a green card is less mysterious or reliant on chance than winning the lottery, but the process is challenging. Though there are numerous routes to getting a green card, some are more straightforward and easily navigated than others.

The three most popular, most frequently utilized methods of obtaining a U.S. green card are:

• Through family connections
• Through a potential employer
• As a refugee or person seeking asylum

Let’s take a closer look at each of these options.

Family relations are the road-most-traveled for immigrants to the United States. Any U.S. citizen can petition for a green card for their spouse, their unmarried child under the age of 21 and their parent over the age of 21. The process requires multiple forms, and consular processing for relatives outside of the country. Even more paperwork is required for other relatives, including siblings and married children over the age of 21, and there are additional delays related to rules for when children of citizens get married or turn 21. There are also individuals entitled to special allowances based on being victims of domestic abuse or being a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen or a child of a foreign diplomat who was born in the United States.

A U.S. employer can help a foreign national get a green card if they’ve offered them permanent employment. Again, this involves filling out specific paperwork. Job-related green cards are also available to those who invest at least $1 million in U.S. businesses or $500,000 into a business in specific targeted areas. Finally, people who have extraordinary skills and abilities or people who fall into special job categories may be entitled to a green card based on the contributions they have made to the war effort or their potential for adding to U.S. innovations and abilities.

Finally, those who enter the country as refugees are entitled to apply for a green card one year after their arrival in the United States, and so can their immediate family members. Those seeking asylum are not required to apply for a green card.

For more information about the best approach to getting a green card for yourself or a family member, contact our experienced immigration attorneys today.