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.
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.
