How to get a green card

Green Card Processes and Procedures

Each Green Card category have specific steps and procedures to follow. Listed below are some general processes and procedures to help you apply either while in the United States (known as “adjustment of status”) or while outside the United States (known as “consular processing”).

Determine if you are eligible for permanent resident status. Review the eligibility requirements needed before applying for your Green Card.

Adjusting your status to a permanent resident is the process immigrants use to get a Green Card while in the United States.

Consular processing is the method immigrants use to get their Green Card when outside the United States or when ineligible to adjust status in the United States.

When getting a Green Card through employment, family, or as a special immigrant, someone may need to file a petition for you. Concurrent filing is generally when the immigrant petition is filed at the same time you file your application to get a Green Card. Learn what concurrent filing is and what categories are eligible to concurrently file.

Learn more about if and when you can travel outside the United States after applying for a Green Card or once you have a Green Card. You can also learn how to apply for advance parole, a Refugee Travel Document, and a re-entry permit.

Learn more about if you are eligible for work authorization in the United States and how to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

An affidavit of support is a form that a sponsor files on your behalf when you are applying for a Green Card or immigrant visa. It is required for some (but not all) categories of immigrants before they can become a permanent resident of the United States. The purpose of the form is to show you have the financial means to live in the United States without needing welfare or financial benefits from the U.S. government.

To get a Green Card, most immigrants must show that they will not become a public charge. Learn more about public charge.

An adjustment of status applicant occasionally prefers to have their pending application considered under a different immigrant category. For more information about transferring, see the USCIS Policy Manual.

Green Cards and Permanent Residence in the U.S.

Learn how to get a Green Card to become a permanent resident, check your green card case status, bring a foreign spouse to live in the U.S. and what documents you need when traveling back to the U.S. Also, find out how to enter or check your results for the Diversity Visa Lottery program.

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Apply for, Renew, or Replace a Green Card

Apply for a Green Card

Renew or Replace a Green Card

Learn how to renew or replace your Green Card:

Check Your Case Status

Beware of Scams

Get familiar with the immigration, visa, or Green Card process. This can help protect your personal information and money against scammers. Learn about common immigration scams and how to identity fraud, or file a complaint in your state.

Authenticate a U.S. Document for Use in Another Country

You may need to present a legal document issued in the United States for use in another country. These documents can include court orders, contracts, vital records, and educational diplomas. To verify signatures, stamps, or seals on these documents, they must be authenticated.

The process to get a document authenticated depends on the specific document, the state in which it was issued, and other factors. Check with your state’s document authentication agency. Also, visit the Authentications page from the Department of State (DOS).

If the country in which you are presenting your documents is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention, you can get an apostille. An apostille validates seals and signatures of officials on public documents. Apostilles authenticate birth certificates, court orders, and many other documents. Learn more about apostilles and how they are issued.

For more information, details on a procedure, or status, call the DOS Office of Authentications at 1-202-485-8000. Phone hours are from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Typically, appointment hours are from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET, Monday through Friday. However, due to COVID-19, the Office of Authentications is not accepting in-person appointments at this time.

Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (Green Card Lottery)

The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) program allows for up to 55,000 immigrant visas to be awarded each year. Foreign nationals of countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. can participate in a random drawing for the potential of getting an immigrant visa (Green Card). Check the State Department’s Diversity Visa site to learn more about the program.

Diversity Visa Lottery Eligibility

The DV Lottery, also known as the Green Card Lottery, makes a limited number of immigrant visas available every year to people meeting certain eligibility requirements:

How to Register for the Diversity Visa Lottery

Registration for the 2023 Diversity Visa Lottery ended on November 9, 2021.

Check Diversity Visa Lottery Results

If You Are a Diversity Visa Lottery Winner

If you are selected through the random lottery drawing, you can move forward in applying for an immigrant visa (Green Card).

Diversity Visa Lottery Fraud Warning

The State Department wants DV lottery participants to know about scams involving fraudulent email and letters sent to DV program applicants. The U.S. government is the exclusive operator of the DV program. It may send you an email reminding you to check the status of your entry, but it will not contact you by email or letter to let you know if you have been selected. You have to check online yourself. The U.S. government will also never ask you to pay for your visa in advance by wire transfer, money order, or check.

Sponsor a Foreign Spouse, Future Spouse, or Relative

Your status determines who you can bring (sponsor) to live and work in the United States.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you can sponsor:

If you are a permanent resident, you can sponsor:

If you have been a refugee or asylee within the past two years, you can petition for certain family members to obtain refugee or asylee status.

If you or a member of your family is in the U.S. military, you may petition for citizenship for family members.

Travel Documents for Foreign Residents Returning to the U.S.

You may need additional documents to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad if:

You should obtain these necessary documents before your trip. You can get them from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Travel Documents for Permanent and Conditional Residents

Travel Documents for All Other Foreign Citizens Living in the U.S.

Contact USCIS and your country’s embassy or consulate for all document requirements.

Note: If you need a travel document, but left the U.S. without obtaining one, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for assistance:

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How to Apply for a Green Card

Before starting the application process, there are two questions that you should answer first:

1. Are you eligible to apply?

U.S. immigration laws provide a variety of ways for people to apply for a Green Card. The eligibility requirements may vary depending on the immigrant category you are applying under. Go to our Green Card Eligibility Categories page to see all the possible categories you can apply under and what the eligibility requirements are.

Being Sponsored for a Green Card

Most people who apply for a Green Card will need to complete at least two forms—an immigrant petition and a Green Card application (Form I-485). Someone else usually must file the petition for you (often referred to as sponsoring or petitioning for you), although you may be eligible to file for yourself in some cases. Here are the most common forms:

Other petitions include:

Refer to your eligibility category to see if you need a petition.

2. Are you inside or outside the United States?

If you are eligible to apply for a Green Card, you then need to determine which process to use – adjustment of status or consular processing.

Go to our Adjustment of Status page for more information about the process of applying for a Green Card in the U.S.

General Application Process

The steps you must take to apply for a Green Card will vary depending on your individual situation. However, here is the general application process that most applicants will go through:

If Your Green Card Application Is Pending with USCIS

If you already submitted a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and your case is pending with USCIS, go to our While Your Green Card Application Is Pending with USCIS page for more information on checking your case status, updating your address, and making appointments with USCIS.

How to Track Delivery of Your Green Card, Employment Authorization Document (EAD), and Travel Document

If your USPS tracking information shows your package was delivered but you have not received it, contact your local post office immediately. Remember, we will mail your card or travel document to the address you provided on your application (unless you told us to mail it your representative on Form G-28, Notice of Entry or Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative).

If your mailing address changes after you file your application, you must update your address with USCIS and USPS as soon as possible. We recommend you use the USPS Look Up a ZIP Code tool to ensure that you give USCIS your full address using the standard abbreviations and formatting recognized by USPS.

If you don’t update your address promptly, your case could be delayed, your document(s) could get lost, and you may need to reapply and pay the fee again.

If You Already Have a Green Card

If you already have a Green Card, go to our After a Green Card is Granted page for more information on travel, renewing a card, and your rights and responsibilities as a Green Card holder.

Green Card

Green Card allows its holder to live and work in the United States for an unlimited time. There are several ways to get it, and they all vary in complexity and time consumption. One of the most interesting ways is through the lottery held between millions of foreigners. In this article, we will tell you the most important things about the Green Card and how tens of thousands of people win it in the lottery every year.

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Quick facts

Cost of a Green Card

Contacts

What is a Green Card

The owner of a Green Card is considered a permanent resident of the United States — they have the right to work, study and use a limited set of services from the government. In addition, all cardholders can receive a driver’s license, own property in the country, get discounts on tuition and borrow loans on preferential terms. After five years of living in the country, a permanent resident can apply for US citizenship, and after ten — for retirement benefits.

How a Green Card differs from citizenship

Despite the fact that the cardholder lives in the country without time limits, the list of their social benefits is limited. They remain a citizen of their home country, cannot take part in referendums, elections, or work in government services. In addition, there are restrictions on entry for relatives, while family members of a US citizen receive a visa under simplified conditions.

It is more difficult to obtain citizenship than a Green Card — a candidate takes an exam on knowledge of history and culture, proves their high moral qualities, and takes an oath. The Immigration Service conducts an interview and tests candidates for basic English reading, writing, and speaking skills. But the efforts are worth it — the citizen gets the right to vote, travel without a visa to most countries of the world, and apply for employment in federal agencies. Moreover, students have access to all state scholarships and can leave the country without fear of being deported upon returning.

How to get a Green Card

You can get a Green Card in different ways. Below are the main ones.

Green Card lottery

US government allocates 55,000 Green Cards annually to diversify the nation’s ethnic composition. The Diversification Lottery is meant for the residents of countries with low rates of immigration to America. The US Department of State deliberately distributes a different number of free Green Cards between countries. For example, the maximum possible number of winners from Latvia is 64, and from Russia — 2290. Each application has an equal chance of winning — the computer selects the lucky ones at random. Winning does not oblige you to do anything, but it lets you apply for an immigrant visa, and then for a Green Card after entering the United States.

Who can participate in the Green Card lottery

To participate in the lottery, you must fulfill several simple conditions:

Residents of red countries cannot participate in the lottery

Note! Lottery winners and entrants are not required to prove their level of English. Even those who do not know a word in a foreign language can receive a Green Card.

How much does it cost to participate in the Green Card lottery

An application for participation is free. But it is pointless to start the immigration process without sufficient financial resources. The winners pay visa fees and otherwise prepare the documents — only these procedures cost about 1,000 USD per person. Also, a candidate for a Green Card needs to prove the financial solvency to fly to and live in the country.

How to increase the chances of winning the Green Card lottery

Every year, about five million people participate in the lottery, and only 55 thousand win. This means that the chance of winning is approximately 1.1%. But it is worth remembering that the department issues a different number of cards to countries. Therefore, residents of one state have a slightly greater chance than others.

Winners’ distribution between countries

If you have an official spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21, you can increase your chances of winning the lottery by registering them in it as well. They automatically receive a Green Card along with the winner.

You can enter the lottery an unlimited number of times. Although the amount of attempts does not affect the likelihood of winning the lottery the next year, everyone has a chance to try their luck again.

Note! Addressing agencies and consultants to improve the chances of winning is regarded as fraud. At the same time, the Department of State does not prohibit using their services if you just need help filling out an application.

Lottery participants’ errors

Below we attach tips on how not to become a victim of scammers:

The head must be in the center

Glasses must be taken off

The background must be neutral Source: The American Dream

Other possible violations:

How to get a Green Card through the lottery

In this section, we will describe the basic steps: from submitting an application to obtaining a Green Card.

Registration for the Green Card lottery

Taking part in the lottery is simple: complete a free online registration on the only official website. You have 60 minutes to fill out the form. If the system refuses to accept the application, try downloading it again. When registration is complete, the candidate is formally notified of participation. You cannot apply again, or you will be disqualified.

Note! Do not apply through other platforms. You run the risk of facing scammers who steal your data and money.

When to apply

Participants apply in the fall of each year. The process of determining the winners takes from seven months, and receiving the card — up to several years. The results are published on the same site. Until October 15, 2021, you can apply for DV-2023. This means that if you register this year and win, you will receive permanent resident status in 2023.

Applying for a US immigrant visa

So, you won the lottery. What to do after winning?

Green Card documents

All applicants for a Green Card must provide the following documents:

U.S. Embassy interview

The interview is the last step in the immigration visa process. You bring all documents, including an invitation to interview and proof of payment of all required fees. The family members listed on your application must be present for the interview. They can complete this stage separately if they plan to fly to the United States later than you.

We strongly discourage coming late — it is better to arrive 15-20 minutes in advance. Also, check the list of items you shouldn’t take with you. It includes mobile phones, cameras, travel bags, food, and a few other things. The consul conducts a conversation with all candidates and at the end makes a decision on issuing a visa. Get ready to spend two to three hours at the embassy. Answer questions clearly and exclude unnecessary details. They may relate to your arrangement and adaptation in the United States: your future place of residence, work, study, and plans for the future. Sometimes an additional administrative review of the application is required (usually takes up to 60 days). The consul will inform you if you need to add missing documents to the application.

Responsibilities of the Green Card holder

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Green Cards

11 Ways To Get A Green Card!

The United States offers several ways to become a Permanent Resident (Green Card holder). A Green Card allows you to live and work permanently in the U.S.

Below is a list of the various ways that you may qualify for a Green Card. Choose the appropriate category and click Learn More.

Family Based Immigration

1. Relatives of U.S. Citizens

a. Spouse

b. Unmarried child (under the age of 21)

c. Unmarried stepchild (under the age of 21)

d. Adopted child (under the age of 18) or

e. Parent or stepparent

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f. Unmarried son or daughter (over the age of 21)

g. Married son or daughter (any age)

h. Brother or Sister

2. Relatives of Green Card holders

a. Spouse

b. Unmarried child (under the age of 21)

c. Unmarried stepchild (under the age of 21)

d. Adopted child (under the age of 18) or

e. Unmarried son or daughter (over the age of 21)

Employment Based Immigration

1. Employment First Preference

a. Persons with extraordinary ability

b. Outstanding professors and researchers

c. Managers and executives in multinational companies

2. Employment Second Preference

a. Professionals with advanced degrees

b. Persons with exceptional ability

c. Exceptional professors and researchers

3. Employment Second Preference with National Interest Waiver (NIW)

a. Persons with exceptional ability involved in activities that will substantially benefit the U.S. national interest

b. Advanced degree professionals involved in activities that will substantially benefit the U.S. national interest

4. Employment Third Preference

a. Professionals with a U.S. bachelor’s or foreign equivalent degree

b. Skilled workers

c. Unskilled workers

5. Schedule A

a. Registered nurses and physical therapists

b. Persons qualified to work in one of the shortage occupations on the Schedule A list

Green Card Lottery

1. Winners of the Green Card Lottery conducted by the U.S. Department of State.

Investors

Special Immigrants

1. Religious Workers

2. Foreign medical graduates

3. Permanent Residents who departed the U.S. for more than 12 months

Green Card Related Services

1. Adjustment of Status

a. Foreign nationals in the U.S. with approved immigration petitions may file for Adjustment of Status to adjust their nonimmigrant status to permanent residence (Green Card).

2. Consular Processing – Immigrant Visa

a. Foreign nationals outside the U.S. with approved immigration petitions must apply for consular processing to receive permanent residence (Green Card).

3. I-130 Petition

a. U.S. citizens and Green Card holders to sponsor Green Cards for their foreign relatives who wish to immigrate to the U.S.

4. Replace or Renew Green Card

a. You may replace a lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Green Card.

b. You may replace an expired Green Card or a Green Card that will expire within the next six months.