Green Cards

What Types of Green Cards Are Available in the United States?

Foreign nationals who want permanent residence in the United States may be eligible to get a green card in each of the following categories:

• Green Card through Family.
• Green Card through Employment.
• Green Card as a Special Immigrant.
• Green Card through Refugee or Asylee Status.
• Green Card for Trafficking and Crime Victims.
• Green Card for Victims of Abuse.
• Green Card through Other Categories.
• Green Card through Registry.

Getting a Green Card through Family

Most cards in the United States are obtained based on familial relationships. To get a green card through your family, you must have the following requirements:

• Be the immediate family member of a U.S. citizen (spouse, an unmarried child under 21, or a parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21)
• Be a non-immediate family member of a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident under certain family-based preference categories, including:
• Being a family member of a U.S. citizen, such as an unmarried child over 21, a married child, or a sibling of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21
• Being a family member of a lawful permanent resident, as the spouse of a lawful permanent resident, an unmarried child under 21 of a lawful permanent resident, or an unmarried child of a lawful permanent resident who is at least 21
• Be a fiancé of a U.S. citizen or the fiancé’s child (Fiancés apply for a green card after getting married in the U.S.)
• Be a widower of a U.S. citizen
• Be a Violence Against Women Act victim of battery or extreme cruelty, as an abused spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, an abused child (under 21) of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or an abused parent of a U.S. citizen

Getting A Green Card through Employment

Many foreign nationals want to live and work in the United States, but do not want to be subject to certain employment visa restrictions such the inability to change jobs or a maximum validity period. Certain non-citizens are eligible for green cards based on their employment status.

Green cards based on employment are given first, second, and third preference based on different categories. To get a green card as a first preference immigrant worker, you must:

• Have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, business, or education;
• Be an outstanding professor or researcher; or
• Be a multinational executive or manager with certain criteria

To receive this card as a second preference immigrant worker, you must:

• Be a professional with an advanced degree;
• Have exceptional skills in the sciences, arts, or business; or
• Be seeking a national interest waiver

To receive this card as a third preference immigrant worker, you must:

• Be a skilled worker (your job requires at least two years of training or work experience),
• Be a professional (your job requires at least a bachelor’s degree, and you are a member of the profession), or
• Be an unskilled worker (your job requires less than two years of training or experience)

In addition to the immigrant worker’s green card, another employment-related green card is the Physician National Interest Waiver green card. Physicians who work full-time in clinical practice in a designated underserved area may obtain this type of green card if they meet other requirements.

Finally, these documents are also available to immigrant investors who invest at least $1 million (or $500,000 in a targeted employment area) for a new business that will create jobs for at least ten full-time employees. 

Obtaining a Green Card as a Special Immigrant