What is the Easiest Way to Get a Green Card? A Helpful Guide
People can spend up to 10 years or more waiting to become lawful permanent residents of the United States. A few fortunate applicants only wait a few weeks for a green card.
The process of getting a green card is often frustrating and slow with the speed of the process being out of an individual’s control.
When people talk about the fastest way to get a green card, they’re usually talking about the immigrant categories that give out green cards relatively quickly if you happen to fall under one.
Are you trying to learn about the easiest way to get a green card? If yes, you should keep reading for the important things to know.
Which Category Do You Fit Into?
What Immigrant Visa Preference Category you fall under can affect the amount of time you have to wait for a green card.
If you qualify for one of the preference categories you will be assigned an immigrant visa number which are spots in the line for your green card.
Some categories may have less demand and therefore less of a wait compared to other categories that can have a high demand and a waiting time of 10 years or more.
What Is The Visa Bulletin?
It is a monthly bulletin released by the U.S Department of State and it shows the demand for immigrant visa numbers. Visa numbers are
divided into two categories. One category is the family-sponsored preferences and the other is the employment-based preferences.
Under each category, you will find subcategories as well as a category called the diversity immigrant category that will be explained below.
Family-Sponsored Green Card
This is arguably the quickest way of getting a green card. This is when you are considered an immediate family member by immigration services.
Spouses and children under 21 do not get posted on the visa bulletin because they are immediate relatives and they are automatically able to get visa immigrant numbers.
If you’re not an immediate family member there are also categories for first, second, third, and fourth preference applicants.
There are cut off dates on the visa bulletin showing what applications are currently being reviewed or accepted. Immigrant visa applicants that fall before the cut off date are allowed to apply for their green card.
If you are sponsoring someone in your family for a green card and you yourself have a green card, it is important to update your card if you have a green card with no expiration date.
Work-Based Green Card
Employment-based green cards have different categories with priority given to those who have exceptional skills in the arts, sciences, athletics, or education. There are also categories for successful professors, researchers, executives, and managers.
Those who own their own business and those who have job offers from U.S companies are eligible for a green card as well. Depending on the demand of each individual category wait times can be very short or long.
Your employer or sponsor must fill out the Immigration Petition for Alien Worker form and pay the registration fee. After applying, your
sponsor will receive an approval form and the visa application process will start.
Diversity Visa Lottery
There are 55,000 visa numbers from countries that have a low amount of applications for U.S visas. If you don’t have criminal activity on your record or any other problems you are eligible to apply to the diversity visa program to be randomly selected and receive your visa immediately.
This method requires lots of luck so it’s not the most dependable of the options but if you qualify for this category it is worth a try.
What Is the Easiest Way to Get a Green Card?
The easiest way to get a green card is through qualifying for a family-based green card where you are an immediate family member. Other than that, there is really no guarantee on how fast or how easily you can get it.
Gaining permanent residence for the U.S is not a simple task but there are certain routes to take that can make it an easier process. We recommend that you speak to an immigration lawyer to help layout an effective plan to get your permanent citizenship.
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