The US Green Card is a dream come true for many America lovers because only this immigrant visa offers the possibility to live and work in the United States without any restrictions.
Officially called Lawful Permanent Resident Card, the most sought-after immigrant visa in the world, the US Green Card, allows people to live and work permanently in the United States. It also serves as an official identification document and gives its holders almost all the rights that US citizens have.
The beginnings of the Green Card date back to the 1940s. At that time, the American Congress passed the Alien Registration Act in order to control and regulate immigration to the USA. As part of the regulations, "Alien Cards" or "Alien Registration Receipt Cards" were issued to new US immigrants. Since these cards were green at the time, the term "Green Card" was established.
Over the years, the Green Card has been printed in all the colors of the rainbow – from yellow to pink to purple-blue. Since 2010, however, the Green Card has once again been produced in the traditional green design. The popular Green Card is issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Anyone who receives a Green Card enjoys numerous advantages. Basically, it confers all the rights a US citizen has, apart from the right to vote. More specifically, Green Card holders benefit from the following advantages:
There are four possible ways to get a US Green Card:
Let's take a closer look at these four possibilities:
The Green Card Lottery, officially known as the Diversity Visa Program, was established in 1995. Since then, the lottery has been organized every year by the USCIS. It enables USA fans from almost every country in the world to win one of 55,000 Green Cards for the USA with only a few entry requirements.
Compared to other ways to obtain a Green Card, the waiting times for the Green Card Lottery are relatively short. So it is always worthwhile to participate, even if you are trying to obtain a Green Card in another way simultaneously.
The US authorities' rules are strict: if you don't enter the Green Card Lottery in due form and time, you'll be disqualified and won't have a chance to win. This fate befalls nearly 40 % of the world's participants every year.
With over 25 years of experience and state-approved emigration consultants, you are on the safe side with us - we guarantee that your application will reach the lottery!
The family-based Green Card is a complex topic with many subcategories. In general, close family members (spouses, children, parents, or siblings) of US citizens or Green Card holders can obtain a Green Card for the purpose of a family reunion.
However, the bureaucratic hurdles are high. For example, only relatives already living in the US can apply for a Green Card, but not the person wishing to emigrate. Depending on the degree of kinship and the country of origin, some categories of family-based Green Card applicants may have to wait for several years or even decades.
Obtaining a Green Card through a job may seem obvious in theory, but in reality, it is more difficult than you might imagine. To convince a US employer of your potential, you should ideally have very good professional skills and work experience because the Green Card application process is very costly for American companies.
Waiting times can also be long in this Green Card category. In addition, the work permit comes with a time limit and is tied to a specific employer.
You may have heard of the "Million Dollar Green Card." This refers to the Green Card through investment, officially called EB-5 visa. You can get it by investing $ 1,050,000 in an American company (or $ 800,000 in rural areas or regions with a high unemployment rate).
Very strict guidelines must be met in order to obtain a Green Card through investment. However, you can apply for the Green Card yourself, and you do not have to rely on an employer. The investor Green Card is initially issued for a probationary period. If you meet all the requirements, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Card after two years.
From Green Card holder to US citizen: after five years as a Green Card holder, you can decide whether you want to renew your Green Card or apply for US citizenship.
If you decide to become a US citizen, there are a few more requirements to meet. To be naturalized in the United States, you must:
The path to a life in the USA almost always leads through the Green Card, and the easiest and fastest way to get it is through the Green Card Lottery. Sign up now and take the first step towards fulfilling your American dream!
Win one of 55,000 Green Cards in the official Green Card Lottery of the US authorities!