Baltimore Attorneys Assisting with Green Cards

What You Need to Know About Green Cards

Also known as a Permanent Resident Card, these cards allow you to legally reside and work within the United States for a two-year conditional period. After that, you can apply for a permanent residency visa. 

Your residency lasts for 10 years. As long as you maintain a clean criminal record (except for traffic offenses), you can renew it for another 10 years. While that sounds straightforward, the process can be highly competitive since the U.S. government only issues a certain number of these registration cards. 

Other aspects can also slow down or halt your progress. It pays to find a local immigration lawyer with the education and experience to walk you through the process.

Green Card Application in the U.S.

While many different ways to apply for permanent resident status exist, most individuals apply through two main paths: employment-based or family-based categories.

Family Category Permanent Residency

You can apply for a green card through a qualifying U.S. permanent resident or citizen. 

This family member needs to be an immediate relative in the following categories:

• U.S. citizen parents
• Spouses that are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents
• Legal permanent resident parents – applicant needs to be unmarried, and the parent must be over the age of 21
• U.S. citizen sibling
• U.S. citizen child – must be under 21 years of age

Different processing times exist for each category. Some can take months, while others can take years. Working with one of our competent immigration attorneys can help. However, each case is unique; some are bound to take longer. 

Employment-Based Green Cards

You can apply for an employment-based green card by yourself or through your United States employer. Many different categories are available under this umbrella, and our immigration attorneys will help you understand each type. 

Your U.S. employer must ensure they have advertised and searched for U.S. job seekers to fill the role before employing you. Each employment visa category – EB-1 to EB-3 – has its own requirements. You should work closely with an experienced immigration firm to choose the best application method.

If you’re married, your spouse and children not older than 21 can accompany you on your employment-based green card. Green card applications do not give you an automatic right to wait and work in the U.S. If you plan to stay for your green card to be approved, you must obtain a separate visa.