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What is a Green Card?

Permanent residence status, symbolized to many people by the so-called "green card", which is actually pink, confers on foreign nationals the right to live and work in the U.S. without time limitations.

The two most common ways to obtain permanent residence is by close family ties to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or through employment with a U.S.-based employer. For purposes of this discussion, the employment based visa will be our focus. There are two main phases to the process.

Phase I: The alien must be sponsored by the employer, who files a petition with INS to have the alien classified as a person qualified to immigrate.

Phase II: Once the alien is found qualified to immigrate, he or she may proceed to apply for permanent resident status. This can been done through Consular Processing or by Adjustment of Status.

Once the immigrant visa is issued, the permanent resident may then travel freely on the visa, and my accept employment without restrictions. It is not clearly stated, but we recommend that the foreign worker remain employed by the sponsoring employer for at least six (6) months after the visa is issued to show good intent regarding the employment relationship. The above information has been taken from immigration related sources, readily available to the public and should not be conceived as legal advice or legal direction. Information shown is greatly condensed. If an H-1B visa is in your future, be sure to contact an immigration specialist to assist in the process.