If you are a foreigner, you can still live and work in the United States with a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card). There are many ways to get a Green Card, and for each one, you need to comply with specific requirements to apply. Among all the options, some are relatively easier than others for foreigners to obtain.
Green cards through family and employment
If you have a close family member that is a U.S citizen, you have the right to apply for a Green Card. The U.S. government also gives residencies to those who participate in the economic growth of the country. The four most effective ways to get a Green Card through family or employment are:
· Immediate relative visas:
If you are the spouse, the child, or the parent of a U.S. citizen, you can get permanent residence in the U.S. with an immediate relative visa. The child of a U.S. citizen must be under 21 years of age and unmarried to apply for this type of visa.
· Widower of a U.S. citizen
If you were married to a U.S. citizen who is now deceased, you can apply for a Green Card to live and work in the United States. To get a Green Card as a widower, you need to prove you were legally married to the citizen and that you entered the marriage in good faith.
· Immigrant worker
One of the most effective ways to get a Green Card is to work for a U.S. employer. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will give priority to workers with outstanding abilities.
· Immigrant investor
You can also get a green card if you invest at least $1,800,000 in the country. With this investment, you need to create at least 10 full-time positions for American citizens. You can also get this Green Card if you invest $900,000 in high unemployment or rural areas.
You must know that you cannot apply for residence if you have a cousin, uncle or grandparent that is a U.S. citizen. Also, employment Green Cards can be tricky because of the investment amount and the eligibility criteria to get employed in the U.S. as a foreigner. However, getting a visa through employment or family is still effective.
Diversity Immigrant Visa program
If you are not employed or do not have an immediate relative in the U.S., you can still get a Green Card. One of the ways to get it is to apply to the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV program). This program gives 50,000 immigrant visas per year to those who come from one of the countries that have low rates of immigration in the U.S.
Benefits for residence
Being a permanent resident in the United States has many benefits. With a Permanent Resident Card, you can live, work and study in the country for as long as you want. There are several ways in which you can get a Green Card, and for each one of them, you will need to do their respective applications and form filing.