How do I get a USA green card?
In the United States, a residency permit allows the holder to live and work legally as an American citizen does. This authorization is called a “green card”, or in its real name, the green card. By obtaining this document, there’s no need to apply forESTA or go through the time-consuming and costly visa formalities. In this article, we explain the usefulness and procedures for obtaining (or earning) your green card USA.
Green Card USA or green cardWhat is it for?
All kinds of travel to the USA require an entry sesame. Whether you’re traveling to the U.S. for business (ESTA), doing an internship or studying at an American university (visa), you can never enter the U.S. without some kind of official document.
However, if you wish to expatriate to the U.S. for an indefinite period, there is only one document that allows you to do so: the green card.
A visa and an ESTA are unable to give you permission to stay in the United States indefinitely. An ESTA authorizes you to stay on American soil for a maximum of 90 days, while a visa can authorize you to
Visit green cardThe green card, also known as the “resident card”, is issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security. The green card gives you the same rights and duties as an American citizen, apart from the right to vote and serve on juries. It also gives non-American citizens the right to work or study, to obtain university scholarships more easily and to benefit from much lower tuition fees.
You’re probably wondering why this card isn’t as popular as the ESTA or visa? Quite simply because it’s the most difficult expatriation visa to obtain.
In fact, the resident card is issued according to certain selection criteria (which we’ll see later), as it can lead to American naturalization for the holder of a green card have resided in the United States for more than 5 years.
There are two types of immigrant visas These include a visa valid for 10 years (green card) and a visa valid for 2 years (conditional green card). If the holder fails to comply with the conditions laid down when obtaining their residence permit, they may lose their status.
How to obtain a green card ?
As mentioned above, the green card USA is not available to everyone, and the conditions for obtaining one may vary according to the applicant’s profile (for family reasons, for professional reasons, for refugee status or by lottery).
Application for family reunification
An American citizen over the age of 21 (majority) can apply for a USA green card for a close family member (spouse, parents, brothers and sisters, etc.) so that they too can live on American soil.
Marriage: the green card conditional
U.S. authorities will be very careful when it comes to applying for a residency card for your spouse. Homeland Security is fighting to prevent sham marriages. For this reason, the authorities prefer to issue a temporary green card for the first two years of marriage, after which the spouse can receive a permanent residency card valid for 10 years.
The application procedure :
- with the help of your U.S. sponsor, complete Form I-130 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Relative) and gather all the required documents;
- send the application to USCIS, together with payment of the registration fee (420USD).
Request for professional reasons
This application is reserved for workers who are experts in their field and meet the criteria required by the American government. Your employer can help you apply for a green card, by assisting you with the formalities and paying the application fee ($165).
Application procedure :
- the employer completes Form I-140 (Immigration Petition for Alien Worker) and assembles all the required documents;
- The application must be sent to USCIS, together with payment of the registration fee (580USD).
If your application is accepted, the NVC (National Visa Center) will tell you how to apply for an immigration visa.
The diversity visa lottery
Probably the most surprising “game” in the U.S. in terms of obtaining an immigration visa, but also the easiest way to win a green card USA. Every year, the green card lottery allows 50,000 applicants to win a permanent key to the USA. This lottery was set up to ensure a diversity of nationalities in the country, so certain nations (UK, Canada or Mexico) cannot participate.
Some profiles are not eligible for the lottery. To participate in the lottery, you must :
- be born in one of the countries concerned;
- minimum school education (high school diploma or at least 2 years’ experience in the last 5 years).
You can find the registration form on the official U.S. government website.
Request for refugee status
Asylum-seekers can apply for a green card in the United States if they have been residing in the country for at least 1 year.
Important information for the owner
Once you’ve obtained your permanent resident document, you’ll need to renew it every 10 years, and make sure you always carry it with you, along with an identity document (passport), in case of an identity check.
The permanent resident card has many advantages, but also a few disadvantages. You will be required to pay U.S. taxes (federal, state and local) and declare capital gains.
Please note: young men between the ages of 18 and 26 with a green card USA must register for military service.
Finally, if you’re interested in the American dream, we advise you to find out more about non-immigrant visas. Applying for a visa is much simpler than obtaining a green card. It can help you fulfill your dream of working in the U.S., studying at an American university or doing an internship in New York. To live in the USA on a visa, you need to go through the American embassy (or consulate) in your country.
Can I work in the USA without a green card?
A career path is often made up of multiple experiences. Working in the USA can be a great opportunity in the course of a career. Many people think that you need a USA green card to immigrate to the USA and work there. However, there are other ways of working in the USA without a green card. In this article, we’ll look at the various options available for temporary expatriation to the United States.
How to obtain a visa to work work in the USA without a green card ?
A USA green card means that you are a permanent resident of the United States. This card gives you the right to live, study or work anywhere in the U.S. indefinitely. But if you don’t want to make the U.S. your permanent home, you can still go there for a fixed period, to work on a specific contract or assignment.
In this case, you don’t need a green card to live in the USA, but a USA work visa for non-immigrants. There are several types, depending on the type of assignment or contract you wish to carry out.
The procedure for obtaining one of these visas and work in the USA without a green card is almost always the same.
The procedure for work in the United States without a green card
In order to work work in the United States without a green cardIn order to apply for a temporary work permit, you need to find a job and be sponsored. This condition is immutable (except in exceptional cases) to all temporary work permit procedures. Finding an employer is explained by the fact that a work visa procedure can only be launched once the employer has completed a petition application and submitted it to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The employer is then considered your sponsor for obtaining a US non-immigrant visa.
The procedures are similar if you want to do an internship in the USA.
The USCIS will study your application and judge whether it is eligible to work in the USA without a green card.
If your application is accepted, you must then start the visa application process. The first step is to complete the DS-160 online form on the Consular Electronic Application Center Website. Once you’ve completed the form, you’ll need to print out the confirmation page containing a bar code. This page will be required to obtain an appointment at the US Embassy.
It’s up to you to make an appointment with the American consulate or embassy where you live. The purpose of this appointment is to interview an American consular officer, who will assess the relevance of your project and determine whether you can working in the United States without a green card.
It’s imperative to prepare well for this interview. The American authorities do not take homeland security lightly. You need to be prepared to answer a lot of questions, about your reasons for coming to the U.S., your level of English, and above all your willingness to return to your home country once your stay in the U.S. is over.
Make sure you are aware of the documents required for your application. These may vary according to your geographical location. However, you’ll still need to provide the DS-160 certificate, passport-size photos and your biometric passport.
If your spouse and children are coming to the U.S. with you, they too will need to apply for a visa. You must also prove that you will be able to support your family during your stay in the USA.
At the end of this interview, the consular officer will decide whether you are eligible for a non-immigrant visa, allowing you to work in the USA without a green card. He’ll also decide which is most appropriate for your situation.
Your fingerprints will be taken electronically, and all that’s left to do is pay the application fee, which varies from embassy to embassy. It is advisable to take out health insurance at the same time, as medical costs in the U.S. can quickly become staggering.
You will be informed of the deadline for receipt of your passport containing your visa, giving you the right to work in the USA without a green card.
It may seem simple at first, but the procedures and paperwork involved can sometimes seem more like an obstacle course. It can be useful to call on the services of a law firm staffed by lawyers who specialize in immigration cases.
It’s advisable not to buy airline tickets or make any reservations for your trip to the U.S. until you’re sure you’ve obtained your visa.
The U.S. government sets quotas for the number of visas to be issued each year. Make sure you apply well in advance for your work authorization, and that you’re sure to be able to work in the United States without a green card.
A U.S. visa entitles a foreign national to travel to the U.S. and to request permission to enter U.S. territory. However, a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have the authority to grant or deny entry when you step off the plane or ship. If authorization to enter the USA is granted, CBP agents will stamp your passport or issue you with an I-94 arrival/departure form.
Extend your stay
The 50 American states that make up the country offer a wealth of economic, cultural and natural attractions. Whether it’s the immense cities of New York, San Francisco or Philadelphia, the sumptuous spectacle offered by the Grand Canyon and the great national parks of Yellowstone and Yosemite, or the beauty of the great wild plains of the American West, it’s very easy to fall in love with this extraordinary country and to want to stay longer, or even to settle down permanently to live the American dream.
Above all, don’t take the risk of staying illegally beyond the expiry date of your visa. You could be considered an illegal immigrant and subject to prosecution, or even banned altogether from setting foot on American soil. It is possible to apply for an extension to your current visa, or to apply for a permanent resident card, in order to expatriate permanently to the USA.
If you choose to move to the U.S. permanently, you can apply for U.S. naturalization 5 years after obtaining your residency permit.
