Find the right visa for you. There are two types of visas: Non-immigrant visas : These allow the holder to visit the United States for specific purposes, such as work, education, medical reasons or business trips, and for a specific amount of time with a clear departure date.
They are temporary documents that do not allow the holder to permanently live in the United States. Immigrant visas : More difficult to obtain, this type of visa allows travel to the United States to live there permanently and is part of the process in getting a green card.
This visa must be obtained prior to traveling to the United States, and the process for getting this type of visa is more extensive.
Usually the holder has been sponsored by a family member. Alone, an immigrant visa is not a path to citizenship. Types of green cards are more extensive than visas, and include, but are not limited to: Family-based: Close relatives of current U. These include immediate family members, such as parents, siblings, children and also widows and widowers of either citizens or green card holders. Employment-based: Certain types of workers, and in some cases, their immediate family, may be given green cards tied to their jobs.
Humanitarian green card holders: Refugees, asylum seekers, and those victims of human trafficking, crime or abuse are eligible to receive green cards. Green card lottery winners: Each year, the U. The Diversity Immigrant Visa DV program allows for up to 55, immigrant visas to be awarded each year. Foreign nationals of countries with low rates of immigration to the U.
The DV Lottery, also known as the Green Card Lottery, makes a limited number of immigrant visas available every year to people meeting certain eligibility requirements:.
Register online for the Diversity Visa Lottery. For help, review the DV lottery instructions. If you are selected through the random lottery drawing, you can move forward in applying for an immigrant visa Green Card. The State Department wants DV lottery participants to know about scams involving fraudulent email and letters sent to DV program applicants.
The U. It may send you an email reminding you to check the status of your entry, but it will not contact you by email or letter to let you know if you have been selected. You have to check online yourself. Will they receive an identity document? Yes, a green card, also called Form I Do they qualify for a U. Yes, after applying for it, with a few exceptions.
Can they vote in U. No; doing so could make them deportable. Can they petition for family members to immigrate? Yes, for spouse and unmarried children, and with limited visas available per year. Do they qualify for government benefits? Yes, but on a more limited basis than U. Yes, if they meet the basic eligibility criteria. Rights and Benefits of U. Lawful Permanent Residence A lawful permanent resident receives a photo identity card that is, literally, green.
Citizenship U. Talk to a Lawyer Need a lawyer? Start here. Practice Area Please select Zip Code. How it Works Briefly tell us about your case Provide your contact information Choose attorneys to contact you. Immigration Law. Immigration Law Basics. Getting a Visa, Green Card or Asylum. This information is provided solely for informational purposes and is not legal advice. Transmission of these materials is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Readers should not act upon the information contained in these FAQs without first seeking advice from a qualified attorney. A lawful permanent resident is someone who has been granted the right to live in the United States indefinitely. Permanent residence includes the right to work in the U. Permanent residents continue to hold citizenship of another country. You may use your green card to prove employment eligibility and apply for a social security card. A permanent resident may travel outside the U.
In addition, a permanent resident should travel with an unexpired passport of another country. Each time you return to the U. If you commit certain crimes or other violations, you may be placed in removal proceedings and become subject to deportation. Also, if you remain outside the U.
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