Getting a Green Card often raises questions as to who is eligible to acquire a green card, whether or not it is free, how it can be obtained and so on. In this article, we will consider the following questions commonly related to getting a Green Card.

  1. Who is eligible to get a green card?

Individuals who intend to get a green card through their qualified family member, an offer of employment or a special category may be eligible. With some exceptions such as immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen who are given higher priority, Congress specifies a limited number of visas usable each year for every category of immigrants (including the DV lottery program).

Generally, to be eligible for getting a Green Card in the U.S, an applicant must;

  • Be eligible for any of the categories for immigrants as established in the (INA), Immigration and Nationality Act
  • Have a filed and approved immigrant petition for you by a qualified sponsor (with a few exceptions, however),

Where your eligibility status is positive, you may then go ahead to apply by filling the required forms determined by the category of their petition.

Once the USCIS receives and approve your application, you will receive:

  • A receipt notice confirming that your application has been received,
  • Notice for an interview with an immigration officer at the nearest US embassy,
  • A written notice of approval or otherwise.

 

  1. How do you get a green card?

An individual can get a green card in several different ways. The most common means is by sponsorship by a family member or an employee who is a U.S citizen or a resident (that is having a green card) in the U.S. Other persons may get the green card by refugee or asylum statuses or even by means of humanitarian programs. Then another way is through the diversity immigrant visa program by the U.S government.

  1. How long does it take to get a green card?

For some applicants, it may take as long as 10 years or more while for others it may take a shorter time. This, however, depends on the eligibility category under which an applicant falls. For instance, close relatives of U.S citizens and highly skilled individuals who can contribute reasonably to the workforce are given more priority than other categories of applicants.

Some eligibility categories are faster to obtain your green card under than others due to the few people being eligible under such categories.

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