10 Things You Need to Know About Applying for a Green Card
What Is a Green Card?
A green card is a permanent resident card that is given to eligible immigrants to legally and permanently stay in the United States. Acquisition of the card affords one various immigration benefits.
What Is the Application Process?
From time to time, the United States provides interested person opportunities to apply for permanent residence. Applications especially the visa lottery type are often seasonal, and they are limited in nature. Again, from time to time, the application rules, regulations, and requirements change as is determined by the USCIS. In the process, applicants are required to fill some forms (forms vary depending on the type visa being applied for) online within the stipulated time.
Who Is Eligible
Application for the green cards is usually open to the whole world. However, each year the State Department comes up with a list of qualified countries to participate in the lottery. If a country has had more than 50,000 people migrating to the U.S within the last five years, such a nation will be illegible for the visa lottery. For instance, countries including Colombia, Canada, Nigeria, Mexico, India, Haiti, Jamaica, etc. we’re not allowed to participate in the lottery last year due to the enormous numbers of immigrants from those countries who are already in the US.
Are Undocumented Immigrants Allowed to Participate?
Undocumented immigrants can participate and can even win the lottery. However, if an undocumented immigrant leaves the US, and after that tries to get back into the US, such a person is likely to get a 10-year ban.
Types of Green Cards
There Are Six Major Types of Green Cards Including;
Employment-based. For one to be awarded this visa, he must be sponsored by an employer in the US. The visa process involves labor certification although there may be a few exceptions. Most of the employment-based visa is reserved for experts and certain professions and workers with high demand skills. About 140,000 employment-based visas are given annually.
Marriage based. A spouse of a United States Green card holder or citizen is eligible for permanent residency based on marriage. However, this is usually temporary and therefore requires that the immigrant spouse fill some forms about ninety days before the expiry of the two years’ grace period.
Family-based. It allows citizens to sponsor for permanent residency for parents, siblings, children, and spouses. However, in case the sponsor is only a green card holder and not a citizen such will just sponsor a spouse or child.
EB-5 Investment cards. It allows investors access permanent residence for themselves, their spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years). For this, an investor must inject at least $500,000 into the US economy and be able to create or retain at least ten jobs for American workers.
DV-lottery cards. Around 50,000 diversity visas are given annually to countries with low immigrants to the United States.
Special immigrants. It includes clergy, those helping dependent children, those who have served in the armed forces for over 12 years, foreign med students, etc.
What Are the Minimum Requirements?
An applicant must be from a country that is approved by the USCIS for the program, have basic literacy (have at least secondary school education) or have a working experience of at least two years by the specifications of the U.S Department of Labor. Get in touch with RunRex for assistance and more details if you are not sure what is required.
Common Mistakes That Can Disqualify an Applicant
The Green card application process is usually very rigorous, and care is required lest you risk being disqualified. An elementary error can disqualify a candidate even later in the process even when he had previously been selected. For instance, a simple oversight like the wrong entry of country or origin or leaving off one’s children or spouse can lead to disqualification. It is therefore significant for an applicant to be extra careful when it comes to applying considering that every applicant is allowed a single entry.
How Many Participate in The Lottery
The number of participants each year vary. However, the most recent figures have been ranging from 12million upwards. These numbers are incredibly high considering the number of slots available for all the types of Green cards. Applications done between October and November are received and processed until March the following year. Winners are then notified from May to July.
When to Travel to The US
After processing, winners are notified anytime from May to July. The winners are allowed to travel to the US beginning the next fiscal year.
What If You Are in The US Without a Green Card
In case you are already in the United States and have not obtained your Green card, it is prudent to keep away from trouble. Otherwise, you can easily find yourself entered into the Department of Homeland Security from which point you face lots of hassle. Surprisingly, the US is intensely bureaucratic and highly suspicious of immigrants.