How to Apply for a Green Card

When you apply for a green card, also known as a permanent resident card, you're applying for proof of an your individual lawful, permanent residence in the US. Green cards are issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and give the holders the right to live and work in the US, and leave the country for business or vacation. A green card is not the same as U.S. citizenship, but it is a critical step on the path to citizenship (after having yours for four years and nine months you can apply to be a naturalized citizen of the US). There are several ways to apply for a green card, so it's important to understand all of your options before you apply.

Requirements to Get a Green Card
Most people will qualify for green card eligibility on the basis of employment, family relationships, or meeting the criteria for the green card lottery system. Check your eligibility for one all of these categories at the USCIS Web site.

Employer Sponsorship
Obtaining employer sponsorship for your green card application is one of the more complex green card application processes. First, you'll need to obtain a job offer from a U.S. company who is willing to sponsor your green application. While most of the paperwork will fall to you to complete, there are points during the process where you'll need the employer's signatures and cooperation in providing additional documentation relating to your employment.

There are three steps that comprise employer sponsorship of your green card: the Labor Certification Application, the Immigrant Petition and the Adjustment of Status. The estimate timeframe to complete all three steps in this green card sponsorship process is approximately two years. However, these applications are processed by region so timeframes may be much longer in areas like California or Texas where the immigrant population is high. The Adjustment of Status typically takes the longest of the three applications, but you can begin working after you complete the Labor Certification Application and Immigrant Petition.

If your Labor Certification Application is denied, the green application process ends and you'll need to prove your eligibility for another green card category and begin again. If it's approved, the Immigration Petition