Question 1

What is DACA and who qualifies?

Accepted Answer

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a federal policy that provides protection from deportation and grants work authorization to certain individuals who came to the United States as children without legal status. It does not provide a path to permanent residency or citizenship, but allows recipients to remain and work in the US on a renewable twoyear basis.

To qualify, an individual must have arrived in the US before their 16th birthday, have continuously resided in the US since Jun

Question 2

How does the green card lottery (DV Lottery) work?

Accepted Answer

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, also called the green card lottery, makes 50,000 immigrant visas available each fiscal year to nationals of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. The program is administered by the State Department. Entries are free and submitted online during the registration period, typically in October and November each year.

To be eligible, you must be a national of a qualifying country and have at least a high school diploma or its equiv

Question 3

What is the difference between EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 green cards?

Accepted Answer

EB1, EB2, and EB3 are employmentbased preference categories for US permanent residency, each requiring different qualifications. EB1 is for priority workers: persons of extraordinary ability in their field, outstanding professors or researchers, and certain multinational executives. EB1 generally does not require a PERM labor certification and has the fastest processing.

EB2 is for professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability. Most EB2 petitions require a PERM labor certification

Question 4

How long does a US green card application take?

Accepted Answer

The time to get a green card varies enormously depending on the category and the applicant's country of birth. For immediate relatives of US citizens (spouses, parents, unmarried children under 21), there is no annual visa cap, so the main wait is USCIS processing time for Form I485, which currently ranges from roughly 12 to 36 months depending on the office.

For family preference and employmentbased categories, applicants must wait for a visa number to become available, as shown in the monthly

Question 5

What is the I-485 adjustment of status?

Accepted Answer

Form I485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) is the form used by foreign nationals already inside the United States to apply for a green card without leaving the country. It is filed with USCIS once a visa number becomes available for the applicant's immigrant visa category, or immediately for immediate relatives of US citizens.

The I485 package typically includes the main application, Form I864 (Affidavit of Support), Form I693 (medical examination), civil documents

Question 6

Can I travel outside the US while my green card is pending?

Accepted Answer

If you have a pending Form I485 (adjustment of status application), you generally must not leave the US without first obtaining Advance Parole (Form I131). Departing without Advance Parole is treated as abandoning your I485 application, and you lose all the filing fees and progress on your case.

Advance Parole is a travel document that allows you to reenter the US after traveling abroad while your adjustment of status is pending. You apply for it simultaneously with the I485 using Form I131. Th

Question 7

What is the EB-5 investor visa and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

The EB5 immigrant investor program allows foreign nationals to obtain a US green card by making a qualifying investment in a new commercial enterprise that creates jobs for US workers. The standard minimum investment is $1,050,000. If the investment is in a Targeted Employment Area (rural or highunemployment area), the minimum is $800,000.

The investment must create at least 10 fulltime jobs for qualifying US workers. Investors can invest directly in a new enterprise or through a USCISdesignate

Question 8

What are priority dates and how do they affect my green card wait?

Accepted Answer

A priority date is the date USCIS received your immigrant visa petition (I130 or I140). It marks your place in line for a green card when annual visa numbers are limited. The State Department publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin showing which priority dates are currently eligible to file for or receive a visa in each family and employment preference category, broken down by country of birth.

For immediate relatives of US citizens (spouses, parents, minor children), there is no cap and no priorit

Question 9

How do I remove conditions on my 2-year conditional green card?

Accepted Answer

If you received a green card based on a marriage that was less than two years old at the time of approval, you get a conditional green card valid for only two years. To convert it to a permanent 10year green card, you must file Form I751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence) within the 90day window before the card expires.

The I751 must normally be filed jointly by both spouses, along with evidence that the marriage is ongoing and was entered in good faith: joint bank accounts, lease or

Question 10

What is a National Interest Waiver (NIW) and who qualifies?

Accepted Answer

A National Interest Waiver (NIW) is an exception within the EB2 green card category that allows certain individuals to selfpetition for permanent residence without an employer sponsor and without a PERM labor certification. USCIS will waive the usual requirements if the applicant's work is in the national interest of the United States.

Under the Dhirajlal test established in Matter of Dhanasar, USCIS evaluates three prongs: whether the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national import

Question 11

How do I renew my US green card?

Accepted Answer

US permanent resident cards (green cards) expire every 10 years and must be renewed, even though the underlying permanent residence status does not expire. You renew your green card by filing Form I90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card) with USCIS online or by mail. You should file about six months before expiration to have a current card at all times.

After filing I90, USCIS sends a receipt notice. In most cases, USCIS also sends an I551 stamp in your foreign passport (called an A

Question 12

How can a US green card holder travel abroad for an extended period?

Accepted Answer

A US permanent resident who wants to travel abroad for an extended period should apply for a Reentry Permit using Form I131 before departing. The reentry permit is valid for two years from the date of issuance and allows the holder to reenter the US after an absence of up to two years without the green card being considered abandoned.

You must be physically present in the US when you file the I131 and should attend biometrics before departing. The reentry permit is mailed to the address you des

Question 13

What is the immigration medical exam (Form I-693) for a US green card?

Accepted Answer

The immigration medical examination is required as part of the green card application process. It must be performed by a USCISdesignated civil surgeon, not your regular physician. The exam checks for communicable diseases of public health significance, physical or mental disorders, drug abuse, and vaccination requirements.

The civil surgeon completes Form I693 and seals it in an envelope for submission to USCIS. The applicant must not open the envelope. Results are typically valid for two years

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Residency & PR