The benefits of a green card for a foreign-born person are simple. A permanent resident card, otherwise known as a green card, allows a person who was not born in the United States to live and work lawfully anywhere in the U.S. That immigrant can also then qualify for U.S. citizenship after a period of three or five years. Over one million people are issued a U.S. permanent resident card every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a foreign citizen and looking to live and work in the United States, you may be wondering how you can become a permanent resident. Keep reading this article to learn more about the different types of green cards and the benefits of a green card.
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Most Common Types of Green Cards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While there are multiple types of green cards foreign nationals can apply for, there are four major categories that most immigrants fall into when seeking eligibility for a permanent resident card:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

• Employment-based green cards \u2013 If you are trying to obtain a green card for the U.S. through your employer, know that there is a priority system for accepting these types of applications. For example, professionals with advanced degrees or physicians that agree to work full-time in an underserved area will likely be processed quicker than unskilled or professional workers.<\/li>
• Family-based green cards \u2013 This is perhaps the most common way a foreign-born person will try to gain their green card. However, please be aware that this type of visa only applies to \u201cclose family members\u201d of a U.S. citizen or green cardholder. Family members such as children, spouses, parents and siblings are eligible but aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins are not considered close family members.<\/li>
• Humanitarian green cards \u2013 People who are fleeing persecution because of their race, religion, political opinion, nationality, or membership in a specific social group can apply as refugees or asylees. Spouses and children of these people may also seek protection in the U.S. under this program and eventually apply for a permanent resident card.<\/li>
• Diversity lottery green cards \u2013 Every year, the U.S. randomly chooses up to 50,000 people from countries with small numbers of immigration to the U.S to receive their green card.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

  How Can You Obtain A Green Card?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  Once you have determined which category you are eligible for and have already filed the appropriate petition, you can then file Form I-485 with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  The benefits of a green card for a foreign-born person are simple. A permanent resident card, otherwise known as a green card, allows a person who was not born in the United States to live and work lawfully anywhere in the U.S. That immigrant can also then qualify for U.S. citizenship after a period of […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n