IMMIGRANT VISAS
Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status confers upon the foreign national the privilege to permanently live and work in the United States. An alien may obtain LPR status through a number of ways, however, the first three (3) most common are through a family-based immigrant petition, an employment-based immigrant petition and by way of the diversity immigrant visa program ("lottery"). loi8j0-l;;p
1. Family-Based Immigrant Visas
Foreign nationals who have a familial relationship with a U.S. Citizen/Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) may be a beneficiary of a petition filed by the latter.
a. U.S. Citizen may file an immigrant petition on behalf of a:
i. Spouse;
ii. Child under 21 years of age;
iii. Unmarried son/daughter;
iv. Married son/daughter; and
v. Brother/sister.
b. Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) may file an immigrant petition
on behalf of a:
i. Spouse;
ii. Child under 21 years of age; and
iii. Unmarried son/daughter.
2. Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
Alien workers may obtain LPR status if they are able to establish, through their prospective U.S. employers, that they are being offered a job in the United States that will neither displace U.S. workers nor cause an adverse effect on their wages and working conditions. The U.S. employers may file immigrant petitions on behalf of alien workers who are:
a. "Priority Workers" such as:
i. Aliens of extraordinary ability on the arts, sciences, education, business, athletics (can self-petition);
ii. Outstanding professors/researchers; and
iii. Managers/executives subject to intracompany transfers.
b. Aliens of exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business and advanced degree professionals.
c. Professionals with bachelor's degrees not qualifying in the preceding category, skilled workers and unskilled workers.
d. Special Immigrants such as:
i. Religious workers;
ii. Former employees of the Panama Canal Zone, U.S. Government or U.S. Armed Forces;
iii. Retired employees of international organizations or retired NATO-6 civilians and their families;
iv. Iraqi/Afghan Translators; and
v. Iraqis and Afghans who assisted the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively.
e. Immigrant Investors
3. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
4. Asylees & Refugees
5. Registry
6. Cancellation of Removal
7. Legalization & Other Special Relief
1. Family-Based Immigrant Visas
Foreign nationals who have a familial relationship with a U.S. Citizen/Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) may be a beneficiary of a petition filed by the latter.
a. U.S. Citizen may file an immigrant petition on behalf of a:
i. Spouse;
ii. Child under 21 years of age;
iii. Unmarried son/daughter;
iv. Married son/daughter; and
v. Brother/sister.
b. Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) may file an immigrant petition
on behalf of a:
i. Spouse;
ii. Child under 21 years of age; and
iii. Unmarried son/daughter.
2. Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
Alien workers may obtain LPR status if they are able to establish, through their prospective U.S. employers, that they are being offered a job in the United States that will neither displace U.S. workers nor cause an adverse effect on their wages and working conditions. The U.S. employers may file immigrant petitions on behalf of alien workers who are:
a. "Priority Workers" such as:
i. Aliens of extraordinary ability on the arts, sciences, education, business, athletics (can self-petition);
ii. Outstanding professors/researchers; and
iii. Managers/executives subject to intracompany transfers.
b. Aliens of exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business and advanced degree professionals.
c. Professionals with bachelor's degrees not qualifying in the preceding category, skilled workers and unskilled workers.
d. Special Immigrants such as:
i. Religious workers;
ii. Former employees of the Panama Canal Zone, U.S. Government or U.S. Armed Forces;
iii. Retired employees of international organizations or retired NATO-6 civilians and their families;
iv. Iraqi/Afghan Translators; and
v. Iraqis and Afghans who assisted the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively.
e. Immigrant Investors
3. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
4. Asylees & Refugees
5. Registry
6. Cancellation of Removal
7. Legalization & Other Special Relief