
One of the questions we get asked most often is: how can I get my Green Card?
The United States currently offers five (5) ways to get a Green Card:
1. Through Employment
• First Preference Category (EB-1)
a. Persons with extraordinary ability
b. Outstanding professors and researchers
c. Managers and executives in multinational companies
• Second Preference Category (EB-2)
a. Professionals with advanced degrees
b. Persons with exceptional ability
c. Exceptional professors and researchers
• Second Preference Category -- National Interest Waiver (EB-2 NIW)
a) Persons with exceptional ability -- must show substantial benefit to U.S. national interest
b) Advanced degree professionals -- must show substantial benefit to U.S. national interest
• Third Preference Category (EB-3)
a) Professionals with a U.S. bachelor’s (or foreign equivalent)
b) Skilled workers
c) Unskilled workers
• Fourth Preference Category (“Special Immigrants”) [EB-4]
a) Religious workers
b) Broadcasters
c) Armed Forces members
d) Certain other categories of immigrants
• Fifth Preference Category (EB-5): Immigrant Investor Program
2. As the Immediate Relative of a United States Citizen
a) Spouse of a U.S. citizen
b) Unmarried child under 21 years of age of a U.S. citizen
c) Parent of a U.S. citizen (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years of age or older)
3. The Family Preference Categories
- First preference (F1) - unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age and older, of U.S. citizens;
- Second preference (F2A) - spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of lawful permanent residents;
- Second preference (F2B) - unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age and older, of lawful permanent residents;
- Third preference (F3) - married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens; and
- Fourth preference (F4) - brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years of age and older).
4. Diversity Immigrant Visa (DVI) Lottery
For more information: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry.html
5. Asylum / Refugee status
IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- Each case is unique. Call us at (617) 855-7698 for a consultation to discuss the best option(s) for your particular case!
- You can apply for the Green Card in as many categories as you are eligible for!
- Applications for employer-based preference categories generally require an employer to sponsor the applicant through the Labor Certification Process
- Employment-based category EB-2 National Interest Waiver does not require an employer to sponsor the applicant and is not subject to the Labor Certification Process
- Applications for employment-based preference categories are based on the dates in the monthly Visa Bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
- Applications for family-based preference categories are based on the dates in the monthly Visa Bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html