Green Card Applications: 5 Important Things You Should Know

US

Well, almost all of us know that a green card is a pass of getting permanent citizenship to non-U.S. citizens. Many of the people who came from outside the United States want a green card because it will give them the right to work and live anywhere in the U.S.

After 3 or 5 years, they will also become qualified for United States citizenship. But in order to get a green card, one has to meet certain criteria along with the adjustment of status checklist.

5 Important Things You Should Know About Green Card Applications

Each year the government of the United States issues over a million green cards. Most of the cards are offered to family members of U.S citizens, who already hold a green card, and also the workers from different countries.

Here are the 5 things you need to know about green card applications. Let’s find out what they are. You also can check the Adjustment of Status Checklist.

Green Card Timeline

The whole processing time for a green card varies from 10 months to 38 months. And this timeline depends on the type of green car you are applying for, along with where you are applying. The timeline is comparatively shorter for the applicant within the U.S.

Spouses, or immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, who live in the U.S, need to wait for around 13 months. The timeline for other relatives, along with employment-based one needing to wait longer, maybe 2 years or more. When it comes to relatives residing outside of the U.S., the wait time is generally 4 to 6 months.

Green Card Costs

For a family-based green card, the government filing fee is $1,760; if the applicant lives within the U.S., on the other hand, for applicants from outside of the United States, the fee is $1,200.

This amount does not include the cost of the medical exam, which depends on the provider. When it comes to any other category other than family-based green cards, the cost varies on the basis of different categories. You can check EB-2-NIW Lawyer for more information.

Different Types Of Greencards

When it comes to green cards, there are a lot of different categories. Some of them are mentioned below.

• Family-based green card.
• Humanitarian green card.
• Employee-based green card.
• Longtime-resident green card.
• Diversity lottery green card.
• Green cards for special immigrants.
• Green card through asylee or refugee status.
• Green cards for victims of abuse.
• Green card through the registry.
• Other categories.

Family-Based Green Cards

The close relatives of the current green card holders and the United States citizens are eligible to apply for the family-based green cards on their own. The family members who are eligible for this category are parents, siblings, children, and spouses.

This category also includes the widowers and widows who were married to a United States citizen. They need to prove the authenticity of their marriages to get a green card. Many extended family members like grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins will not qualify here.

Employment-Based Green Card

Within this category, multiple sub-categories of workers can apply for the employment-based green card. In some cases, those workers’ children and spouses also can qualify for a green card. Here is the list of subcategories.

• Priority workers (EB-1).
• Physicians (EB-2 with a special waiver).
• Professionals with exceptional abilities and advanced degrees (EB-2).
• Special workers (EB-4).
• Skilled, unskilled, and professional workers (EB-3).
• Investors (EB-5).

For different categories, the applicant needs to fulfill the basic requirements. Only then they will be eligible for green cards.

Bottom Line

So, these are the things that you need to know before you are going to apply for a green card. Along With the application, you also need to submit some documents, which will prove your identity, and also all the requirements on your behalf. Always remember you need to meet all the necessary criteria of the Adjustment of Status Checklist.