This Blog was posted By The South Texas Legal Group. principle Office in San Antonio, Texas

A closer look at the process of securing a Green Card

It can be a dream come true when the federal government grants a person authorization to both works and lives here in the U.S. on a permanent basis, a reality evidenced by the issuing of a permanent resident card, or, as it is more commonly known, a Green Card.

As exciting as the prospect of someday holding a Green Card can be, however, it’s important to understand that the process of getting there is by no means easy thanks in large part to a rather complex set of eligibility requirements mandated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. San Antonio Immigration Attorneys
An overview

At the outset, anyone looking to secure a Green Card should know that there are four eligibility requirements that must be satisfied, including:

Eligibility under an immigrant category set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act, including family, employment, refugee/asylum, and other special categories
Filing and approval of a qualifying immigrant petition

Availability of a visa
Admissibility to the U.S.
Immigrant category eligibility: Family

Those seeking to secure a Green Card may be sponsored by a relative who has secured either citizenship or permanent residency here in the U.S.

In fact, those who qualify as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens — including spouses, unmarried children under 21 and parents — will not be required to wait for a visa, as Congress has placed no limit on the number of these visas issued in a given year, and can file their application for a Green Card immediately.

As for those family members who don’t qualify as immediate relatives, a relative who has secured either citizenship or permanent residency here in the U.S. can still sponsor them. However, these relatives will have to wait for a visa to first become available before they can file their Green Card application.