US Green Card
Permanent Residency

A Green Card grants you Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status in the United States. It allows you to legally live, work, and study anywhere in the country permanently, and serves as the mandatory stepping stone toward US citizenship.

Yes, US citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their stepchildren. To qualify for immigration purposes, the legal marriage between the sponsor and the child's natural parent must have occurred before the child reached the age of 18.

Adjustment of Status (AOS) is the process used when you are already legally inside the US on a temporary visa to apply for a Green Card. Consular Processing is used when you apply for an immigrant visa at a US Embassy or Consulate abroad before entering the US.

A standard permanent resident Green Card is valid for 10 years and must be renewed before it expires. Conditional Green Cards, which are typically granted through recent marriages or investment routes, are only valid for 2 years.

The Visa Bulletin is a monthly report issued by the Department of State. It tracks the waiting lists and priority dates for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories that are subject to strict annual numerical limits.

Your priority date is your official place in the immigration waiting line. It is established on the day USCIS receives your immigrant petition (Form I-130 or Form I-140) or when the Department of Labor accepts your labor certification request.

If you are applying via Adjustment of Status inside the US, you can file Form I-765 concurrently. Once approved, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) which grants you the right to work while your Green Card is finalized.

If you are inside the US, you must obtain "Advance Parole" (Form I-131) before leaving the country. Traveling outside the United States without an approved Advance Parole document while your Adjustment of Status is pending will cause your application to be abandoned.

If your primary sponsor does not meet the income thresholds specified in the Federal Poverty Guidelines, a joint sponsor can sign an additional Affidavit of Support. The joint sponsor must be a US citizen or resident living in the US who meets the income criteria.

Yes, Green Card holders can sponsor their spouses and unmarried children of any age. However, unlike US citizens, they cannot sponsor their parents, siblings, or married adult children. These petitions fall under preference categories with waiting times.

The public charge rule evaluates whether an applicant is likely to become primarily dependent on the US government for financial subsistence. Applicants must prove they are self-sufficient, backed by a legally binding Affidavit of Support.

Yes, a medical examination is mandatory. It must be completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon (within the US) or a panel physician (abroad) using Form I-693. This verifies that you do not have any disqualifying communicable diseases and are up to date on vaccines.

A conditional Green Card is issued if your permanent residency is based on a marriage that is less than 2 years old at the time of approval. It is valid for exactly 2 years, and you must apply to remove conditions within 90 days before it expires.

You must file Form I-751 (for marriage) or Form I-829 (for investment) along with extensive joint financial and residential documentation. This proves to USCIS that the underlying relationship or enterprise was bona fide and not entered into for immigration evasion.

Yes, you can lose your status if you abandon your residency by remaining outside the US for more than one continuous year without a Re-entry Permit, if you move permanently to another country, or if you commit certain serious criminal offenses.

A Re-entry Permit (Form I-131) allows a Lawful Permanent Resident to remain outside the United States for up to 2 years without abandoning their status. You must physically apply for this permit while you are still inside the United States.

The biometrics appointment is a mandatory step where USCIS collects your fingerprints, photograph, and signature. This data is used to conduct federal background, security, and criminal record checks before granting permanent residency.

Visa overstays can be forgiven if you apply for Adjustment of Status as an "Immediate Relative" of a US citizen (such as a spouse), provided your initial entry into the United States was lawful and inspected. It is generally not forgiven in preference categories.

An I-601 waiver is an application for a pardon if you are found inadmissible due to criminal history, immigration fraud, or prior unlawful presence. You must demonstrate that your denial would cause "extreme hardship" to a qualifying US citizen or LPR relative.

Government fees depend entirely on your path. Adjustment of Status packages require paying for forms I-130, I-485, and biometrics. Fees vary by age and category, are subject to periodic USCIS updates, and are non-refundable regardless of the outcome.

Most family-based adjustments and consular processes require an interview with an immigration officer. The officer will verify your identity, check original documents, confirm your security background, and evaluate the truthfulness of your application entries.

If denied, you will receive an official notice explaining the decision. Depending on the path, you may appeal to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), file a motion to reopen/reconsider, or face potential removal proceedings if you lack alternate legal status.

The DV Lottery selects up to 55,000 individuals randomly each year from eligible countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US. Winners receive the opportunity to apply for an immigrant visa and permanent residency if they meet strict education guidelines.

Most employment paths require a US employer to sponsor you. However, high-level exceptions exist under the EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) category or via a National Interest Waiver (EB-2 NIW), which allow you to self-petition without an employer.

Yes, as a permanent resident, you are considered a US tax resident. You are legally required to file US federal income tax returns and report your global worldwide income to the IRS, regardless of where you are physically living or working.

Most permanent residents can apply for naturalization after holding their Green Card for 5 consecutive years. If you are married to and living with a US citizen, this waiting requirement is reduced to 3 years, provided you meet all physical presence milestones.