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.
How much does a green card cost in the USA?
The USA Green Card, also known as the Permanent Resident Card, allows non-American citizens to work or study in the USA for as long as they wish. It gives its holder the same rights and duties as an American citizen, after 5 years of habituation in the USA. That’s why obtaining it is notoriously difficult.
Many foreigners wish to expatriate to the USA, whether to find work, do an internship, study at an American university or even obtain a scholarship for their children, the green card offers a variety of possibilities. However, its entitlements come at a cost, and not the least. Let’s take a closer look at price of the USA green card.
Visit green card price by category
In reality, there is no green card USA pricebut several. In fact, there are different categories of immigrant visa applications for expatriates. These include family reunification visas, business visas, investment visas and diversity visas. As a result green card USA prices vary according to the category and formalities involved.
You will only be asked to complete one form on a regular basis: the l-485 form.
Green card for family reunification
An American citizen of legal age can sponsor a close family member (spouse, parents, siblings, etc.) for a green card. This is also the case for green card holders, who can apply for family green cards, but must limit themselves to petitions for their spouse and unmarried children.
Procedure and green card price (total costs shown include form fees and biometric service fees) :
- file form l-130, petition for foreign parent: $535. Once this first step has been approved, you can move on to step 2;
- file form l-485, application for registration of permanent residence or change of status :
- for minors under 14 with an l-485 application from a parent: $750 ;
- for minors under 14 who do not have an l-485 application from a parent: $1,140 ;
- for people aged 14 to 78: $1,225 ;
- for people aged 79 and over: $1,140.
Green card for business purposes
An application for a green card for professional reasons in the United States of America can be sponsored by the employer only if the worker is considered to be an expert in his or her field of activity. You can also apply for a green card without a job offer if you are considered an extraordinarily capable worker, or if you have a national interest waiver.
Procedure and green card price (total costs shown include form fees and biometric service fees) :
- file form l-140, immigration application for foreign worker: $700 ;
- file form l-485, application for registration of permanent residence or change of status: $1,225.
Employers are responsible for most of the cost of the green card, as they must obtain permanent labor certifications (PERM) costing between $4,000 and $7,000.
Green card by investment
Probably the highest category in terms of price of a USA green card, the investment green card can cost between 500,000 and 1 million U.S. dollars, not including application and filing fees.
Procedure and green card price (total costs shown include form fees and biometric service fees) :
- file form l-526, Alien Entrepreneur petition: $3,675 ;
- file form l-485: $1,225.
Green card lottery
Under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, 50,000 immigrant visas are issued each year to registered immigrants from countries with low immigration rates to the USA. This program was set up by the U.S. government (DOS), and involves winning the green card lottery for permanent residency.
People who have been selected for residency, mostly outside the USA, must go through consular processing to be issued an immigration visa. They must also file several forms so that U.S. authorities can judge their eligibility:
- Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Record on the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website: $6 ;
- Form I-601, Request for waiver of ineligibility (if applicable): $930.
Please note that each category requires a medical examination and will be verified by submitting form I-693 “Medical Examination Report and Vaccination Record”. We are unable to give you a price because the USCIS does not regulate medical fees for examinations. They may vary depending on the doctor.
USCIS immigration fees
The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) filing fee is part of the price of the USA green card and are mandatory if you wish to immigrate to the U.S. as a permanent resident. USCIS immigration fees include the processing of your immigrant visa application and the production of your green card.
The USCIS fee is over $200.
USCIS fee-exempt persons are :
- children entering the U.S. under orphan adoption programs;
- Iraqi and Afghan immigrants;
- returning legal permanent residents (SB-1) ;
- non-immigrant visas.
We advise you to pay the USCIS immigration fee after receiving your immigrant visa from the State Department and before leaving for the United States.
If you are unable to pay USCIS fees before your departure for the USA, you may receive payment instructions from USCIS.
As we have seen in this article, the green card USA is an important investment. If you don’t have the means to pay the immigration fees, a family member, friend or third party can make the payment for you. They will need your Alien file number (A number) and your State Department file number (DOS).
How do I pay for petition forms?
For each application, you can pay the form fees by money order, personal check or cashier’s check. You can also pay by credit card at a USCIS Lockbox facility, using form G-1450 “Authorization for Credit Card Transactions”. Finally, if you wish to pay by check, it must be made payable to the US Department of Homeland Security.
If you live outside the USA, where there is no USCIS international office, you can contact the US embassy or consulate in your country.
Don’t be discouraged, the green card process may seem tedious, but once you’ve completed it… The American dream is yours!
What’s more, the green card is not the only official document allowing foreign nationals to travel or reside in the United States. You can apply for an ESTA exemption if you intend to stay in the USA for less than 90 days. You can also apply for a classic USA visa, an entry authorization that will enable you to obtain a work permit, improve your English, work in the USA and many other possibilities, provided you don’t live here permanently. The ESTA has an online form, while the visa requires an interview at the American embassy in France.
