Green Cards
Permanent immigration is the ultimate goal of many people entering or planning to enter the United States. Lawful permanent residency offers individuals a multitude of benefits, including the freedom to live and work permanently in the US. Potential immigrants should be as informed about the laws as possible. That's why our firm is dedicated to providing you with a complete online database of immigration information.
Immigrants to the United States are divided into two categories:
- Individuals who may acquire permanent residency without numerical limitation; and
- Individuals subject to a yearly limitation. There are three divisions of this category:
- family-based immigration;
- employment-based immigration (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4, and EB-5 categories as listed below);
- and diversity immigrants (DV-1 Visas).
U.S. citizens may petition for spouses, parents, children and siblings. Permanent residents may petition for spouses and children.
EB-1 Foreign Nationals of Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers and Multinational Executives and Managers
Individuals in this category can petition for permanent residency without having to go through the time consuming labor certification process.
EB-2 Workers with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability in the Sciences, Arts or Business
Visa holders in this category normally must have a job offer and the potential employer must complete the labor certification process. The labor certification involves a testing of the job market to demonstrate that the potential visa holder is not taking a job away from a U.S. worker. In cases where an individual can show that his entry is in the national interest, the job offer and labor certification requirements can be waived.
EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals
Visa holders in this category normally must have a job offer and the potential employer must complete the labor certification process.
EB-4 Special Immigrant Visas for Religious Workers
Ministers of religion are eligible for permanent residency.
EB-5 Investor/Employment Creation Visas
Under the 1990 Immigration Act, Congress has set aside up to 10,000 visas per year for alien investors in new commercial enterprises who create employment for ten individuals. There are two groups of investors under the program - those who invest at least $500,000 in "targeted employment areas" (rural areas or areas experiencing high unemployment of at least 150% of the national average rate) and those who invest $1,000,000 anywhere else. No fewer than 3,000 of the annual allotment of visas must go to targeted employment areas.
DV-1 Visas (the "Green Card Lottery")
55,000 visas are annually allotted in a random drawing to individuals from nations underrepresented in the total immigrant pool.
Refugee and Asylum Applications
Persons with a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion may be eligible to apply for asylum or refugee status in the U.S. While our firm does not undertake representation of asylee/refugee cases, we can refer you to a good immigration attorney that practices in the asylum/refugee law area.
US Immigration law allows two methods for US citizens to bring future spouses to the United States: the K-1 Fiance Visa and the Alien-Spouse Immigrant Visa.
Learn about the Department of Labor Certification process for employers.
Perm (Permanent Electronic Review Process)
The current labor certification regulations will be entirely replaced by the new PERM regulation. Review an initial analysis of the new PERM process here. In the coming weeks and months, we will provide more details and analysis on the various aspects of PERM.
For more information, contact us online or call us at (240) 390-0600.