Permanent Residency
Becoming a lawful permanent resident (LPR) allows individuals to live and work permanently in the United States. This status is commonly called obtaining a Green Card. As an LPR, you don't need to renew a visa or apply for separate work authorization. You can also sponsor certain relatives for permanent residency and apply for citizenship.
ImmiVisa Law Group has guided many individuals and families toward permanent residency, assisting with paperwork, preparing for USCIS interviews, and providing tailored solutions for challenges. With a Green Card, you can access stable employment, become eligible for state licensure, and choose where to live in the U.S. This status can open doors to education, home ownership, and lasting security.
Green Card Eligibility Categories: Family Sponsorship
USCIS outlines eight eligibility categories for Green Cards. One of the most common is family sponsorship. As a U.S. citizen, you can sponsor Green Card applications for immediate relatives, including spouses, unmarried and married children, parents, and siblings. As an LPR, you can sponsor applications for your spouse and unmarried children. Others eligible include fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens and their children, widows or widowers of U.S. citizens, and individuals filing a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition.
Green Card Eligibility Categories: Employment Sponsorship
If you have an employment opportunity in the U.S. or have strong skills in your field, you may qualify for a Green Card through employment sponsorship. Examples include individuals with outstanding abilities in their fields (such as artists, athletes, or scientists), professionals with advanced degrees or skills (including doctors, engineers, or teachers), and skilled and unskilled workers with permanent job offers.
Getting a Green Card through employment often involves unique steps based on your occupation or industry, and attorneys guide applicants through employer requirements and regional labor needs.
Green Card Eligibility Categories: Additional Categories
USCIS also allows many people who do not qualify for family or employment sponsorship to apply for a Green Card. If you have survived abuse, persecution in your home country, or crimes like human trafficking, you may be able to seek permanent residency. The same goes for religious workers, international broadcasters, and others who qualify as special immigrants.
How to Apply for a Green Card
Your sponsor files an immigration petition on your behalf. In some cases, you may apply for yourself, such as if you are applying through VAWA.
USCIS reviews the petition. Once approved, you file either a Green Card or visa application.
You attend an appointment for biometrics, including your fingerprints, photo, and signature.
You participate in an application interview.
You receive a decision on your application.
Permanent residency lawyers at ImmiVisa Law Group guide you through each stage of the Green Card application process. Processing times may change depending on where you file.
Renewing and Replacing Green Cards
Once you receive your Green Card, it is important to know when and how to renew or replace it. Green Cards are typically valid for 10 years, but may expire earlier if you are granted conditional residency. You may need to replace your Green Card if it is lost, destroyed, or contains errors.
Staying ahead of renewal deadlines maintains your legal status and access to essential benefits. If you lose or damage your Green Card, applying quickly for a replacement minimizes issues with work or travel.
After Getting a Green Card, When Can You Apply for Citizenship?
In most cases, you must hold LPR status for five years before you can apply for citizenship. Some exceptions exist, such as if you obtained your Green Card through marriage to a U.S. citizen or have completed military service, which can allow for earlier eligibility.
Transitioning from a Green Card to citizenship broadens your rights and opportunities, such as registering to vote in local elections, applying for federal positions, or sponsoring relatives for immigration.
Why Choose ImmiVisa Law Group?
Personalized Immigration Strategies: Receive immigration support tailored to your needs.
Immigration Is All We Do: We focus exclusively on immigration law, giving us the expertise and dedication needed to handle even the most complex cases.
Convenient Virtual Consultations: Meet with our experienced immigration lawyers through a virtual consultation.
Hablamos Español: Discuss your case in Spanish with our bilingual attorneys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Applicants should bring the required documents, arrive on time, and be prepared to answer questions about their background and eligibility. We can explain what to expect before your appointment and help you prepare.
Conditional Green Cards are usually issued for two years, most often given to spouses of U.S. citizens in newer marriages. Permanent Green Cards last for 10 years. If you have a conditional card, you must apply to remove the conditions before it expires to keep your status.
Traveling while your application is pending can impact your eligibility or cause delays if you do not get permission ahead of time. If you must travel outside the U.S., ask USCIS for advance approval. This rule applies to all Green Card applicants.