How to get an American Green Card?

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Getting an American Green Card would give you the opportunity of living in the US on a permanent basis. In this article, we would be looking at everything you need to know about how to apply for and get an American Green Card.

This article, however, doesn’t guarantee you actually get one, it only provides you the important details of everything you need to know including the requirements and procedures involved.

In the USA, there are over 1 million applicants that apply each year to come to the country for the purpose of working, living, or studying. These approaches have been one of the most popular ways people move to the USA on a permanent basis.

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But one of the disadvantages of this is the intense and lengthy process it takes. Using the right strategy, however, could very well increase your chances of success. One of the important processes or routes to take when applying for an American Green Card is:

  • Family Based Sponsorship Approach
  • Employment Based Sponsorship Approach

You might ask, why sponsorship? As we mentioned earlier above, going directly to apply for a USA green card would likely be a futile journey.

One of the major ways green cards are offered except through visa lottery is through family based sponsorships.

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Sponsorship is when a person takes up the sole responsibility of ensuring a person’s affairs in either studying, working, or living.

When you are sponsored to study, it means the person sponsoring you has full responsibility for taking care of your tuition fees as well as other expenses that is involved depending on the terms and condition.

Family Based Sponsorship Approach

Family Based Sponsorship Approach is considered to be one of the more popular approaches among the two listed above.

If you have a family member living in the US on a permanent basis or as a citizen, this could very well be the best approach to take.

The US immigration has established this procedure in place that enables a US citizen to be able to sponsor another person’s visa process as long as you are related to the person.

The first step is ensuring you are eligible for the Family Based Sponsorship Approach. If you are not sure you meet up to the criteria, you can consult an immigration officer to verify your position.

Once you verify your eligibility, you can then check out the visas you need to apply for in this category.

Employment Based Sponsorship Approach

The Employment Based Sponsorship Approach

This approach has about 5 sub-categories under it. These categories form what are called visas issued to different employment based workers.

If you are serious about getting an American Green Card, going this route could significantly increase your chances.

The 5 category of visas needed for the Employment Based Sponsorship Approach is:

  • Employment Based Sponsorship visa for unskilled workers
  • Employment Based Sponsorship visa for investors
  • Employment Based Sponsorship visa for special immigrants
  • Employment Based Sponsorship visa for priority workers
  • Employment Based Sponsorship visa for advanced degree professionals

Once you fall into any of the above categories, you can then proceed to apply for the visa. Once you are given the visa based on any of the above-listed categories, you can then apply for permanent residency.

How to Apply

Your first step should be contacting the USCIS after you have verified your eligibility status on the above-mentioned approaches.

If you chose the Employment Based Sponsorship Approach, your current employer would have to write a formal letter to the USCIS.

If all requirements are met, a document would be sent to your employer that contains the visa application form.

Once the form is paid for and filled out, you would be expected to wait for a short period of time. Once your work visa is finally given to you and you are now in the USA, you can then begin your application for a more permanent visa or green card.

The entire process is known to take up to 5 years. The same thing goes for the family based sponsorship approach.

Documentation

The documents that would be required of you would depend on the approach you take. For both categories, proof of funds would be required because the USCIS needs to ascertain if your sponsors are able to sponsor your visa and also you living in the USA.

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