What Green Card Types Can I Pursue?
27 Mar 2023
Securing a green card is not always easy as there are many stringent requirements by USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) You should know that there are different types of green cards. Applying for the appropriate green card type for you will significantly influence whether the USCIS approves your application.
Consulting an experienced immigration lawyer can help determine which green card type is right for you. At JCL Immigration Attorneys, PLLC, we have some of the most reputable immigration attorneys in Scottsdale, AZ, ready to help you. Let us take a deep dive into the various green card types.
Family-Based Green Cards
If you have close relatives who are current green card holders or US citizens, you may be eligible to apply for a family-based green card. Only family members like spouses, parents, children, and siblings are eligible to apply.
Employment-Based Green Cards
Employment-based green cards are among the most common green card types, and several categories exist. These categories are:
EB-1 (priority workers)
EB-2 (professionals with advanced degrees and exceptional abilities)
EB-2 with a special waiver (physicians)
EB-3 (skilled, unskilled, and professional workers)
EB-4 (special workers)
EB-5 (investors).
Exceptional ability means a degree of command significantly exceeding that usually witnessed in your industry or field.
Humanitarian Green Cards
This green card type is often awarded to refugees or asylees—generally, people who fear persecution or have undergone persecution in their home country. The persecution could be because of their religion, race, political opinion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group. Applicants can seek to enter the US as refugees or stay in the US as asylees. Humanitarian green cards can also be awarded to victims of human trafficking, crime, and abuse.
Diversity Lottery Green Cards
The US government runs a “green card lottery” (officially named “Diversity Visa Lottery Program”). This pool randomly selects roughly 50,000 people annually from a pool of applications from six regions like Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Most lottery applicants reside in their home country, while a few already live in the US under various immigration statuses.
Longtime-Resident Green Cards
Suppose you have been physically living in the United States, either lawfully or unlawfully, since January 1, 1972. In that case, you may apply for a long-term resident green card under a special process known as “registry.” Other necessary qualifications for getting a green card through “registry” are:
Provide a Form I-94 travel record to prove you arrived in the country before January 1, 1972
You haven’t left the US since you arrived
You are of “good moral character”
You haven’t committed any crimes that would warrant deportation or make you ineligible for a green card
Other Green Cards
The government of the United States issues several other green card types in addition to those mentioned above. These include “special immigrants” green cards for religious workers, media professionals, Iraq and Afghanistan nationals who aided the US government in different capacities, and workers of international organizations. There are also special green cards for American Indians born in Canada and Cuban citizens.
At JCL Immigration Attorneys, PLLC, we will help determine the appropriate green card types for you to apply for and guide you through the application process. We will ensure you have all the supporting documentation and your application is filled out correctly. Contact us today to be linked with a reputable immigration lawyer Scottsdale who will enlighten you on the green card application process.
