The green card gives anyone the right to live as a permanent resident in the U.S.
There are various benefits to having a green card, and immigrants want to know how they can obtain one. There are different ways to get a U.S. green card, and you can apply to adjust your status. To accomplish this task, you have to file Form I-485.

How Do I Apply For A Green Card In The United States?

A foreign citizen looking to reside in the U.S. permanently needs a green card. This is sometimes called the immigrant visa. Here are the different ways to get a green card in the U.S:

1. Marriage

Marriage is a common way to get a U.S. green card. However, the marriage must not be for immigration purposes; rather, it must be genuine.A foreign citizen must be sponsored by some close relative who is at least 21 years of age and either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States to obtain a green card. A family-based visa can be obtained through marriage and comes in two forms:
1. Family Preference:These visas are intended for certain, more distant family relationships with a U.S.citizen and specified relationships with a lawful permanent resident. A limited number of immigrants fall into this category each fiscal year. Processing the application typically takes years, if not decades.
2. Immediate Relatives:These visas are granted based on close family ties with a U.S. citizen, such as a parent, spouse, or child.These categories allow for an unlimited number of immigrants throughout the fiscal year. Processing takes little time, typically about one year.

2. Investment

Another way by which immigrants can gain a green card is by investing. Investing enough money in American companies will qualify investors for a green card. As part of the EB-5 direct investor program, investors can get green cards in the U.S. for as little as $500,000 if they invest in a business and create a minimum of ten new jobs.

However, this method is often temporary, and there is always a review of the investment required. The amount required in some cases is often raised to $900,000. The form to fill out when filing for a U.S. green card this way would be Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.

3. Transfer

Transfers can often result in a green card. This is when it involves an inter-corporate transfer where a multinational company transfers its staff from another country to the U.S. If you wish to be eligible for this type of petition, your petitioning employer must be a U.S. employer intending to hire you for an executive or managerial position.

To qualify, the petitioner must have a qualifying relationship with the organization that employed them abroad at an executive or managerial level and has been in the United States for at least a year. This is a very desirable green card method because no labor certification is required.

4. Achievements

Getting a U.S. green card is possible through achievements. Most of these are based on individuals who have achieved outstanding professional milestones or have won internationally recognized awards such as the Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, or Oscar.

In addition, such applicants with extraordinary abilities are typically well-known figures in their industry.

However, obtaining a green card through extraordinary ability is very uncommon. The EB-1A visa is the name for this green card. These candidates are thought to be leaders in their fields. The two groups of people most likely to succeed in this process are those who have won the Nobel Prize and Olympic athletes.

5. Refugee Or Asylum Seeker

Immigrants can apply for a green card one year after arriving in the U.S. as an asylee or refugee.
Immediate family members of the asylee are also considered for this. As an asylum seeker or a refugee, you must know the following things:
After a year of residency in the U.S., refugees must apply for a green card.No applications for green cards are necessary for asylum seekers. Refugees or asylum seekers that meet the requirements to apply for a green card do not have to file an immigration petition such as Form I-140 or Form I-130 with the USCIS. They may directly submit an I-485 adjustment of status request.

6. Work

To obtain a green card as an immigrant, you can either apply for an H-1B work visa or, if you qualify for a national interest waiver, for an EB-2 extraordinary worker green card. In addition, if the employer submits a labor certification application and sponsors the applicant for a green card, the applicant will be able to obtain the green card.
In addition, applicants may be eligible for a green card if they provide services of exceptional merit and ability related to a Department of Defense cooperative research and development project. However, due to its difficulty, obtaining a green card through the H-1B visa route is the least preferred option.

With a green card, how long can you stay?

Green cards are issued for ten years, after which they must be renewed. Persons who have been married for less than two years receive a conditional green card. After two years, they must apply to have the condition removed and provide documentation that they are still legally married and residing with their spouse.

Likewise, EB-5 investors given a conditional green card after two years must show that they still have investments in the company and have created at least ten new jobs. The condition on their green card will be removed if they prove this.

Conclusion

Being a green card holder is the dream of many people. Luckily, there are different ways to get it, provided you are qualified.
The ways to qualify for this included marriage, achievement, investment, work, and transfer, among others.