Thinking of Getting a Green Card? Here’s What You Need to Know
Getting a Green Card (also known as a permanent Resident Card) means that you have been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. You need a Green Card to be able to do this. You should also know that once you have your Green Card you will have to renew it in the future.
The main reason people do this is if it has expired, however, it can also be stolen or lost and if this happens then you will have to get a new one. You can easily Replace Resident Card though, so that isn’t something that you will have to worry about. You will just have to make sure that you do it on time. Now that you are aware of this, keep on reading to find out what happens when you are thinking of getting your Green Card.
Who Is Eligible?
Not everyone who applies for a Green Card will be accepted. People who want to become permanent resident might be able to get a Green Card, through a qualified family member, a job offer, or a special category. There are a few exceptions, such as people with immediate family members in the US, Congress has set a finite number of visas that can be used each year.
Since there are a finite number of visas that are available throughout the year, it can be a lot harder for some people to be accepted. In general, though, for you to be eligible you need to have one of the immigrant categories established in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). You must also have a qualifying immigration petition filed and approved. These are just a few things that you can do to become eligible for a Green Card.
How to Apply
If you are eligible, then you can apply for a Green Card. Most people who apply for a Green Card will need an immigrant petition filed for them (E.g. Form 1-130 or Petition for Alien Relative etc…). The reason you need a petition is so that they can determine what your immigrant classification or category applies to you.
Things are a little bit different if you already live in the United States though. As you may be able to become a permanent resident through Adjustment of Status (AOS). If you do not live in the US though, then you can become a permanent resident through consular processing. This just means that the USCIS works with the Department of State to issue a visa when one is available.
What Happens After You Apply?
When you have applied for a visa, you will get a receipt notice confirming that they have received your application. You will also get a notice for your biometrics appointment date and a notice for an interview with an immigration office. Once this has all be done, you will receive a written notice of a decision.
So, once you have sent off your application you will just have to wait for a response. A lot of people get nervous during this time; however, your best bet is to just keep on living your life like normal and don’t worry about if you have been accepted or rejected just yet. If you are worried though, then you can check out this article here about Green Card Organisations making the American Dream a Reality.