Green Card - Permanent Residence - Connect Immigration Globally

Achieving U.S. PR (Green Card): Your Path to Immigrating

A U.S. Green Card lets you live, work, and study in America permanently. Gain residency through employment, family sponsorship, or investment and build your future in the U.S.

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Being a U.S. lawful permanent resident, also referred to as a Green Card holder, permits the right to reside and work in the United States indefinitely. To maintain your status, you are required to have U.S. residency.

The American Opportunity: Why Obtain a Green Card?

The United States remains one of the highly sought target countries for migration. In mid-2025, the estimate held that the U.S. houses some 51.9 million immigrants, who take up roughly 15.4% of the entire country’s population.

Each year, the U.S. grants more than one million Green Cards in all categories, such as family-based, employment-based, humanitarian, and through the Diversity Visa lottery.

The acquisition of permanent residence commonly stands as the determining first step towards complete U.S. citizenship. You can then subsequently file for naturalization with a successful Petition for Green Card (once qualified).

What Is a Green Card, Anyway?

Although commonly referred to as a “Green Card,” its actual title is the Permanent Resident Card. It becomes your document proving lawful permanent resident status and attaches all the advantages accorded to U.S. citizens (except for voting and all federal benefits).

Having a Green Card gives you:

Right to live and work anywhere in the U.S.
The right to access most social and legal protections (subject to eligibility)
Qualification for possible U.S. citizenship (once qualifying residencies are attained)
Right to sponsor some family members for immigration

Who Can Become a Green Card Holder?

There are also a number of ways in which one can be qualified for permanent residence. Typically, qualification falls into the foregoing major categories:

1. Family-Based Immigration

This is a very popular path. A U.S. citizen or Green Card holder can petition for some relatives:

2. Employment-Based Immigration

Highly skilled workers, investors, people with unique skills, and specialists can even get qualified through labor:

EB-1: For aliens with outstanding ability, outstanding teachers or researchers, or multinational executives/managers
EB-2: Advanced degree (Master's degree or more), U.S. degree equivalency, or advanced degree in the Arts, Sciences, and Professions
EB-3: Skilled laborers, professionals, and some skilled workers
EB-4: Special immigrants, certain religious workers, translators, and others
EB-5: For business investors who put up a substantial amount in some new commercial activity that generates jobs

Companies usually sponsor their foreign laborers in such classes. The visas in each are, however, limited annually. The FY 2025 EB-1 preference quota was reached, and no further new EB-1 immigrant visas are now available before the new fiscal year in October 2025.

3. Other Special Paths

Apart from the main family and labor channels, others are qualified via:
Marriage to a U.S. citizen or a Green Card holder
Crimes against people or human trafficking (U-visa, T-visa)
Special Immigrant Juveniles, religious workers, or other programs for special status
The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program (the "Green Card Lottery") for citizens from low U.S. immigration countries

The Application Process: Step-by-Step

Here’s a generalized roadmap of how most applicants apply for a Green Card:

For Family Preference: Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative)
For occupation-based: Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker)

Await petition approval and visa availability
The visa allocation is regulated by the U.S. Department of State issues the visa bulletin
Select the correct filing path
But if you reside in the U.S., then you can submit through the Adjustment of Status (Form I-485)
But if you are outside the U.S., you typically undergo Consular Processing at a U.S. embassy/consulate
Biometrics Appointment: USCIS fingerprints, photographs, and signatures in conducting background checks
Interview (where necessary) certain applications- specifically family-based applications - demand an interview.
You must submit supporting documents, proof of relations, work, etc.

Decision and Issuance

Once approved, your Green Card is sent through the mail. For conditionals (e.g., if married for less than two years), it can be good for 2 instead of 10 years.
Critical update (2025): USCIS changed its practice with respect to the medical exam form (Form I-693), effective June 11, 2025.
The new policy permits the Form I-693's validity only while a correlated I-485 application is in pendency.
The new policy permits the Form I-693's validity only while a correlated I-485 application is in pendency.
In the event an I-485 is denied or withdrawn, the medical form must be resubmitted.

Application Timelines: How Long Does It Take On Average

The processing times for the green cards vary extensively according to:

The Current Waiting List for Your Nationality

Some family-based applications are concluded in several months; others, more so in oversubscribed countries in the employment categories, can consume several years.
A recent report points out that work-based applications tend to take longer processing times compared to family-based applications.
Moreover, the EB-1 preference allocation was closed in FY 2025 since the quota was reached.
Rapid processing in priority can be obtained in restricted instances; however, incomplete applications or document failure are likely to result in delayed processing or denial.

Most Common Reasons for Denial of Green Card Petitions

Although each case can be different, the following are among the most common grounds for rejection/denial:

Previous crimes involving immigration (e.g. overstays, unlawful work)
Financial lack or incapability to sustain oneself
Incorrect or Inconsistent Petition Forms
Insufficient supporting documentation or evidence
Misunderstandings with respect to travel papers or identification papers
Health inadmissibility concerns
Matters relating to intention or fraud
Criminal records, security screens, or negative background checks
Misrepresentation of material or material misrepresentation
A candidate must submit a well-thought-out, properly documented presentation- a minor faux pas or oversight can result in severe outcomes such as rejection.

Term and Renewal of Green Cards

Once approved, a lawful permanent resident typically receives a Green Card valid for 10 years. You must apply for renewal using Form I-90 before the current card expires.
In the case you are in conditional permanent status (typically the result of a less than two-year marriage or some investor visas), your Green Card expires after 2 years. Before its date of expiration, you must file in order to remove conditions from your status (e.g., Form I-751 or I-829).
You must submit a Reentry Permit (Form I-131), if you are ever going to be outside the United States for more than six months, to safeguard your resident status.
If you remain abroad for more than 2 years or if your Green Card is nearing expiration while abroad, you may need to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa (SB-1) at a U.S. consulate to return as a permanent resident.

Can a Green Card Result in U.S. Citizenship?

Yes. You can become qualified after a defined number of years with a Green Card to naturalize yourself as a U.S. citizen:

Why Need Expert Assistance?

U.S. immigration law can also be very convoluted. One misstep such as skipped form, wrong version, or missing document, can sabotage your application. In 2025, USCIS released new versions of the majority of its forms, particularly those used in marriage-based green cards. Filing mixed or outdated forms can have your application simply denied.

Through assistance from qualified immigration attorneys or law firms, you are guaranteed:

Personalized legal plan designed specifically for you.
Satisfaction that all the filings are USCIS compliant.
Fewer chances for wasted effort, money, and eventual rejections.
Representation in the event complications arise (requests for documentation, appeals, etc.).

Let us guide you through the maze of rules and procedures to maximize your chance of success.

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Green Cards FAQs

How many Green Cards are given by the U.S. each year?

The US has been distributing more than 1 million Green Cards each year in all the visa categories (family, employment, humanitarian, diversity, etc.).

What is the Diversity Visa (DV) program?

Also, the Green Card Lottery, the DV program, gives a total of 55,000 immigrant visas annually to candidates from countries of chronically constrained immigration to the USA.

Can I apply for a Green Card directly without a sponsor?

Yes, very rarely—e.g., by self-petitioning (e.g., an individual of exceptional ability in EB-1), the National Interest Waiver in EB-2, or a few immigrant specialties. Otherwise, a relative or employer has to petition for you.