The Five Main Ways to Get a Green Card
A green card (officially a Permanent Resident Card) gives you the right to live and work in the United States indefinitely without needing a visa sponsor. There are five broad categories: family sponsorship, employment sponsorship, diversity visa lottery, refugee or asylee status, and special immigrant categories. Which route is open to you depends on your situation — your family ties, job skills, country of birth, or circumstances like fleeing persecution.
Most green cards come through family or employment. Family sponsorship means a U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative petitions for you. Employment sponsorship means a U.S. employer petitions for you, usually in a specialty occupation or skilled trade. The diversity visa lottery is a random drawing open to people from countries with low immigration to the U.S. Refugee and asylee routes are for people fleeing persecution. Special categories cover things like religious workers, victims of trafficking, and certain military personnel.
The process is long — typically two to seven years depending on the route and your country of birth — and involves multiple government agencies: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the State Department, and sometimes the Department of Labor. You will need to prove you have no criminal history, pass a medical exam, and show you will not become a public charge (unable to support yourself).
Key Takeaways
- Family sponsorship and employment sponsorship are the two most common routes, but both require a U.S. citizen or employer to petition for you first.
- Processing times vary from two to seven years depending on your country of birth and which category you use, and some categories have annual caps that create waiting lists.
- You will need to pass a medical exam, background check, and demonstrate you can support yourself financially.
- The diversity visa lottery is free and random, but only open to people from countries with historically low immigration to the U.S.
- Refugee and asylee status are separate from green cards but can lead to one after one year of approved status.
Family Sponsorship: Who Can Petition for You
A U.S. citizen can petition for a spouse, parent, sibling, or child. A permanent resident can petition for a spouse or child only. The petitioner files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) with USCIS. Once USCIS approves the petition, your case moves to the State Department's National Visa Center, which assigns you a priority date based on when the petition was filed.
Processing time depends heavily on your country of birth and your relationship to the petitioner. when ready relatives of U.S. citizens (spouse, parent, child under 21) have no annual cap and usually move faster — typically one to three years. Other family categories have annual caps of 226,000 visas per year, divided among siblings, adult children, and married children. If you are from a country with high immigration (Mexico, Philippines, India, China), you may wait many years because demand exceeds the annual cap.
You will need to prove the relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate, or adoption papers) and show the petitioner can support you financially. The petitioner files Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support), which is a legal contract saying they will support you if you cannot support yourself. The income threshold depends on family size and is updated yearly by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Employment Sponsorship: What Your Employer Must Do
An employer can petition for you in several categories. The most common is EB-3 (skilled workers and professionals) and EB-2 (advanced degree holders and exceptional ability workers). There is also EB-1 for people with extraordinary ability, EB-4 for special immigrants, and EB-5 for investors. Your employer files Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) with USCIS.
For EB-3 and EB-2, the employer must first file a PERM labor certification with the Department of Labor. This process proves there are not enough available U.S. workers willing and able to do the job at the prevailing wage. PERM can take one to three years. Only after PERM is approved does the employer file the I-140. This means the total timeline for EB-2 or EB-3 is often four to seven years, longer if you are from a country with high demand (India and China have significant backlogs).
EB-1 (extraordinary ability) and EB-4 (special immigrants like religious workers) do not require PERM labor certification, so they move faster — sometimes two to three years. EB-5 requires you to invest at least $1,050,000 (or $800,000 in a targeted employment area) in a business that creates at least 10 jobs.
The Diversity Visa Lottery
The diversity visa program is a random drawing that issues 55,000 green cards per year to people from countries with low immigration to the U.S. over the past five years. You enter once per year during the registration period (usually October through November). The drawing is free, and you enter online through the State Department's website.
You must have a high school diploma or equivalent, or two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training. You cannot be from a country that sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. Currently, countries like Mexico, China, India, Philippines, Vietnam, El Salvador, Cuba, South Korea, and Dominican Republic are ineligible. The State Department publishes the full list each year.
If your name is drawn, you move to the visa interview stage. Processing usually takes four to six months after the drawing. You will need to pass a medical exam and background check, and show you can support yourself. The visa is only valid for six months after it is issued, so you must enter the U.S. within that window.
Refugee and Asylee Status as a Path to a Green Card
Refugee status is for people outside the U.S. fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social group. Asylum is the same protection, but you explore from inside the U.S. or at a port of entry. Both are separate from green cards, but after one year of approved refugee or asylee status, you can file Form I-485 (process to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) to become a permanent resident.
Refugee processing happens overseas through the U.S. embassy or a resettlement agency. You must be referred by the United Nations, a U.S. embassy, or an approved organization. The interview and background check can take six months to two years. Asylee processing happens in the U.S. through USCIS. You file Form I-589 (process for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal) either when you arrive at a port of entry or within one year of entering the U.S.
After one year as a refugee or asylee, you are may be able to access to file for a green card. There is no additional waiting period or visa cap for this conversion. Processing usually takes three to six months.
Medical Exam, Background Check, and Public Charge Review
All green card applicants must pass a medical exam by a USCIS-approved civil surgeon. The exam checks for communicable diseases, mental health conditions, and physical or mental disorders that pose a public health or safety risk. You will need vaccinations including measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, and others. If you have a condition that requires treatment, you may still be approved if you show you will receive care.
You must also pass a background check. USCIS will check your criminal history, immigration history, and security records. Certain crimes — felonies, crimes of moral turpitude, drug offenses — make you ineligible. You will be fingerprinted and your records will be checked against FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department databases.
The public charge review determines whether you are likely to become dependent on government benefits. USCIS looks at your age, health, education, work history, and income. You must show you have a job offer, savings, or a sponsor (Form I-864) who will support you. The income threshold is set by the Department of Health and Human Services and varies by family size and state.
Timeline and Processing by Category
| Category | Typical Timeline | Annual Cap | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family (when ready relative) | 1–3 years | None | U.S. citizen petitioner |
| Family (other) | 2–7+ years | 226,000 | U.S. citizen or permanent resident petitioner |
| Employment EB-1 | 2–3 years | 40,000 | Extraordinary ability or priority worker |
| Employment EB-2/EB-3 | 4–7+ years | 40,000 | PERM labor certification, employer petition |
| Diversity Visa | 4–6 months | 55,000 | Random drawing, may be able to access country |
| Refugee/Asylee to Green Card | 1 year + 3–6 months | None | Approved refugee or asylee status |
What Happens After Your Green Card Is Approved
Once USCIS approves your green card process, you will receive a physical card in the mail within two to three weeks. The card is valid for 10 years (or 2 years if conditional). You can work for any employer, travel outside the U.S. (with the card), and live anywhere in the country. You do not need a visa sponsor anymore.
As a permanent resident, you must file taxes, maintain your residence in the U.S., and not commit crimes. You can explore for U.S. citizenship after five years as a permanent resident (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen). Citizenship requires passing an English and civics test and taking an oath of allegiance.
If you leave the U.S. for more than one year without a re-entry permit, you may lose your green card status. If you are convicted of certain crimes, your green card can be revoked and you can be deported.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a green card cost?
There is no single fee. Family sponsorship requires filing fees (currently around $640 for Form I-130 and I-485 combined), medical exam fees (typically $300–$800), and attorney fees if you hire one (typically $1,500–$5,000). Employment sponsorship includes PERM labor certification fees (paid by the employer, usually $300–$500), I-140 filing fees, and medical exam fees. Diversity visa has no filing fee. Refugee and asylee status have no filing fee.
Can I work while my green card is being processed?
It depends on your category. If you file Form I-485 (adjustment of status) in the U.S., you can request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) at the same time, which usually arrives within two to three months. If you are going through consular processing overseas, you cannot work in the U.S. until your green card is approved and you enter the country. Employment-based applicants can sometimes work for their sponsoring employer before the green card is approved if they have an approved I-140.
What if my country has a visa backlog?
If you are from India or China, visa demand often exceeds the annual cap, creating a backlog that can add years to your timeline. You can check your priority date against the Visa Bulletin, published monthly by the State Department, to see approximately when your visa number will be available. Some people from high-demand countries wait 10+ years for employment-based green cards.
Can I get a green card if I entered the U.S. illegally?
It depends on your situation. If you are in the U.S. illegally and have a family member or employer willing to petition for you, you may be able to adjust status without leaving the country — but only if you are the when ready relative of a U.S. citizen or have an approved employment petition. Otherwise, you may have to return to your home country for consular processing, which triggers a three- or ten-year bar on re-entry depending on how long you were in the U.S. illegally. Consult an immigration attorney about your specific situation.
Do I need an attorney to get a green card?
You are not required to have one, but the process is complex and mistakes can delay your case or result in denial. An immigration attorney can help you gather documents, file forms correctly, and represent you at interviews. Costs vary widely ($1,500–$10,000+) depending on your category and complexity. Many nonprofits offer low-cost or free consultations.