Green Cards
Legal Permanent Residency
This section describes several scenarios for applying for and receiving Immigrant Visas (or green cards) for the purpose of Legal Permanent Residency.
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Family Immigrant Visas
A United States citizen can petition a spouse, parent, or child for an immigrant visa which will entitle them to apply for a green card. If a U.S. citizen is petitioning for a parent the U.S. citizen child must be 21 years or older. Also, if you are a U.S. citizen sponsoring a child, you will have to specify whether the child is younger or older than 21 and if the child is either married or unmarried. As a Legal Permanent Resident (if you have a green card yourself), you can only petition a spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter.
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Employment Immigrant Visas
You may also be eligible for an immigrant visa if you are going to be employed in the United States. Like family immigrant visas, employment immigrant visas are divided into categories depending on the job you will be performing and your credentials. The visa category and the country where you were born will determine when a visa will be available.