A green card serves as official recognition of U.S. permanent residency, granting individuals the rights to enter, exit, work, and live in the United States indefinitely. It also opens the possibility of applying for naturalized U.S. citizenship in the future. To qualify for a Green Card, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria outlined below.

1. Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens

Immediate relatives stand out as the primary beneficiaries for U.S. green cards, ensuring a swift application process. This category encompasses:

• Unmarried individuals under 21 with at least one U.S. citizen parent.
• Parents of U.S. citizens if the U.S. citizen child is at least 21 years old.
• Stepchildren and stepparents of U.S. citizens, provided the marriage establishing the relationship occurred before the child’s 18th birthday.
• Adopted children of U.S. citizens or permanent residents, with adoption completed before the child turned 16 and meeting other specified conditions.
• Immediate relatives benefit from an unrestricted number of available green cards, allowing them to obtain permanent residency promptly once they navigate the required paperwork and application process.

2. Other Family Members of U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents

Certain close family members of U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible for green cards but fall under “preference categories,” with a limited annual allocation of 480,000. The application process’s timeline depends on various factors, including the type of visa, country of origin, demand, and immigration agency workload. The preference categories include:

• Family First Preference (“F1”): Unmarried adults aged 21 or older with at least one U.S. citizen parent.
• Family Second Preference (“F2A” and “F2B”): Spouses and unmarried children of green card holders (F2A) or unmarried children aged 21 or older of green card holders (F2B).
• Family Third Preference (“F3”): Married individuals of any age with at least one U.S. citizen parent.
• Family Fourth Preference (“F4”): Sisters and brothers of U.S. citizens, where the citizen is 21 or older.
• Wait times vary, with high demand leading to extended waits, particularly for individuals from China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

3. Preferred Employees and Workers, Primarily With U.S. Job Offers

A total of 140,000 green cards are allocated annually to individuals possessing in-demand job skills in the U.S. market. This “preference category” requires a job offer, and employers must demonstrate unsuccessful attempts to recruit qualified U.S. workers. Subcategories under this classification include:

• Employment First Preference: Priority workers, such as those with extraordinary abilities in arts, sciences, education, business, athletics, outstanding professors and researchers, and managers/executives of multinational companies.
• Employment Second Preference: Professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability.
• Employment Third Preference: Professionals and skilled/unskilled workers.
• Employment Fourth Preference: Religious workers, miscellaneous worker categories, and other “special immigrants.”
• Employment Fifth Preference: Investors willing to invest $1 million (or $500,000 in economically depressed areas) in a U.S. business employing at least ten workers.

4. Annual Diversity Green Card Lottery

A set number of green cards (currently 50,000) are reserved for individuals from countries that have sent the fewest immigrants to the United States in recent years.

5. Special Immigrants

Periodically, laws are enacted to make green cards available to individuals in unique situations, such as young people under juvenile court care, international broadcasters, and retired U.S. government employees abroad.