United states of america

United states of america

The USA is a beautiful country and is considered to be the land of freedom and opportunity. Many people have been immigrating to the USA for many years.

Common reasons are:

Jobs and business opportunities
To escape poverty
To seek superior healthcare
To escape conflict or violence in their home countries
To escape past or possible future persecution based on race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion
To find refuge after being displaced due to environmental factors
To offer more opportunities to children
Family reunification
Educational purposes

History of Immigration to US

Origins of the U.S Immigrant Population: 1960-2016

Year	Europe/Canada	South and East Asia	Other Latin America	Mexico
1960	84%	4%	4%	6%
1970	68%	7%	11%	8%
1980	42%	15%	16%	16%
1990	26%	22%	21%	22%
2000	19%	23%	22%	29%
2010	15%	25%	24%	29%
2011	15%	25%	24%	29%
2012	14%	26%	24%	28%
2013	14%	26%	24%	28%
2014	14%	26%	24%	28%
2015	14%	27%	24%	27%
2016	13%	27%	25%	26%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Pew Research Center tabulations of 2010, 2013-2016 American Community Surveys (IPUMS).

Notes:

The term “immigrants” (also known as the foreign born) refers to people residing in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at birth. This population includes naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), certain legal non-immigrants (e.g., persons on student or work visas), those admitted under refugee or asylee status, and persons illegally residing in the United States.

Denied Entry to USA?

There are reasons why travelers may be denied entry to the US at the border. The most common reasons are

They have previously worked illegally in the US
They are suspected of being intended immigrants who will overstay their visas
They are suspected of having ties to terrorist or criminal organizations
They have overstayed a previous visit to the US
They do not have sufficient funds to support themselves while there
They have health issues like “communicable disease”, “a physical or mental disorder that may pose, or has posed, a threat to [the person] or others” or “a drug abuser or addict”
They have been found guilty of a criminal offence

Employment Based Immigration Visas

There are various Employment-Based Immigration visa categories to move to US that give you green cards and you become eligible for permanent residence:

Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1
Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2
Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3
Employment-Based Immigration: Fourth Preference EB-4
Employment-Based Immigration: Fifth Preference EB-5

You may be eligible for an employment-based, first-preference visa if you have an extraordinary ability, are an outstanding professor or researcher, or are a multinational executive or manager. Each occupational category has certain requirements that must be met:

Eligibility Criteria

Categories	Description	Evidence
Extraordinary Ability	You must be able to demonstrate extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics through sustained national or international acclaim. Your achievements must be recognized in your field through extensive documentation. No offer of employment is required.	You must meet 3 of 10 criteria* below, or provide evidence of a one-time achievement (i.e., Pulitzer, Oscar, Olympic Medal)as well as evidence showing that you will be continuing to work in the area of your expertise. No offer of employment or labor certification is required.
Outstanding professors and researchers	You must demonstrate international recognition for your outstanding achievements in a particular academic field. You must have at least 3 years of experience in teaching or research in that academic area. You must be entering the United States in order to pursue tenure or tenure track teaching or comparable research position at a university or other institution of higher education or private employer.	You must include documentation of at least two listed below** and an offer of employment from the prospective U.S. employer. The private employer must show documented accomplishments and that it employs at least 3 full-time researchers. No labor certification is required.
Certain Multinational manager or executive	You must have been employed outside the United States in the 3 years preceding the petition for at least 1 year by a firm or corporation and you must be seeking to enter the United States to continue service to that firm or organization. Your employment must have been outside the United States in a managerial or executive capacity and with the same employer, an affiliate, or a subsidiary of the employer.	Your petitioning employer must be a U.S. employer and intend to employ you in a managerial or executive capacity. The petitioner must have been doing business in the U.S. for at least 1 year, as a legal entity with a qualifying relationship to the entity that employed you abroad in a managerial or executive capacity.No labor certification is required.

Criteria for Demonstrating Extraordinary Ability
You must meet 3 out of the 10 listed criteria below to prove extraordinary ability in your field:

Evidence of receipt of lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence
Evidence of your membership in associations in the field which demand outstanding achievement of their members
Evidence of published material about you in professional or major trade publications or other major media
Evidence that you have been asked to judge the work of others, either individually or on a panel
Evidence of your original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance to the field
Evidence of your authorship of scholarly articles in professional or major trade publications or other major media
Evidence that your work has been displayed at artistic exhibitions or showcases
Evidence of your performance of a leading or critical role in distinguished organizations
Evidence that you command a high salary or other significantly high remuneration in relation to others in the field
Evidence of your commercial successes in the performing arts

** Examples of Documentary Evidence That A Person is an Outstanding Professor Or Researcher

Evidence of receipt of major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement
Evidence of membership in associations that require their members to demonstrate outstanding achievement
Evidence of published material in professional publications written by others about the alien’s work in the academic field
Evidence of participation, either on a panel or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or allied academic field
Evidence of original scientific or scholarly research contributions in the field
Evidence of authorship of scholarly books or articles (in scholarly journals with international circulation) in the field

Application Process

Extraordinary Ability:You may petition for yourself by filing a Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker.
Outstanding Professors and Researchers:Your employer must file a Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker. As part of the application process, your employer must be able to demonstrate a continuing ability to pay the offered wage as of the priority date. Your employer may use an annual report, federal income tax return, or audited financial statement to demonstrate a continuing ability to pay your wage.
Multinational Manager or Executive:Your employer must file USCIS Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker. As part of the application process, your employer must be able to demonstrate a continuing ability to pay the offered wage as of the priority date. Your employer may use an annual report, federal income tax return, or audited financial statement to demonstrate a continuing ability to pay your wage.

You may be eligible for an employment-based, second preference visa if you are a member of the professions holding an advanced degree or its equivalent, or a foreign national who has exceptional ability. Below are the occupational categories and requirements:

Eligibility Criteria

Sub-Categories	Description	Evidence
Advanced Degree	The job you apply for must require an advanced degree and you must possess such a degree or its equivalent (a baccalaureate degree plus 5 years progressive work experience in the field).You must meet any other requirements specified on the labor certification as applicable as of the priority date.	Documentation, such as an official academic record showing that you have a U.S. advanced degree or a foreign equivalent degree, or an official academic record showing that you have a U.S. baccalaureate degree or a foreign equivalent degree and letters from current or former employers showing that you have at least 5 years of progressive post-baccalaureate work experience in the specialty. If a doctoral degree is customarily required, you must have a United States doctorate or foreign equivalent degree.
Exceptional Ability	You must be able to show exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business. Exceptional ability “means a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered in the sciences, arts, or business.” You must meet any requirements specified on the labor certification as applicable.	You must meet at least three of the criteria below.*
National Interest Waiver	Aliens seeking a national interest waiver are requesting that the Labor Certification be waived because it is in the interest of the United States. Though the jobs that qualify for a national interest waiver are not defined by statute, national interest waivers are usually granted to those who have exceptional ability (see above) and whose employment in the United States would greatly benefit the nation. Those seeking a national interest waiver may self-petition (they do not need an employer to sponsor them) and may file their labor certification directly with USCIS along with their Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker.	You must meet at least three of the criteria below* and demonstrate that it is in the national interest that you work permanently in the United States.

* Criteria

Official academic record showing that you have a degree, diploma, certificate, or similar award from a college, university, school, or other institution of learning relating to your area of exceptional ability
Letters documenting at least 10 years of full-time experience in your occupation
A license to practice your profession or certification for your profession or occupation
Evidence that you have commanded a salary or other remuneration for services that demonstrates your exceptional ability
Membership in a professional association(s)
Recognition for your achievements and significant contributions to your industry or field by your peers, government entities, professional or business organizations
Other comparable evidence of eligibility is also acceptable.

Note:

Employment-based, second-preference petitions must generally be accompanied by an approved individual labor certification from the Department of Labor on Form ETA-750.

To qualify for an EB-2 visa, your employer must file a Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker.

Family of EB-2 Visa Holders

If your I-140 petition is approved, your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible to apply for admission to the United States in E-21 and E-22 immigrant status, respectively.

Labor Certification and Ability to Pay. Employment-based, second-preference petitions must usually be accompanied by a certified Application for Permanent Employment Certification from the Department of Labor (DOL) on ETA Form 9089, however, DOL provides for a blanket (Schedule A) certification in certain situations. As part of the application process, your employer must be able to demonstrate an ability to pay the offered wage as of the priority date and continuing until you obtain lawful permanent residence status. Your employer may use an annual report, federal income tax return, or audited financial statement to demonstrate a continuing ability to pay your wage. Finally, you may request a waiver of this requirement in the national interest through the petition filed with USCIS.

You may be eligible for this immigrant visa preference category if you are a skilled worker, professional, or other worker.

“Skilled workers” are persons whose job requires a minimum of 2 years training or work experience, not of a temporary or seasonal nature. The skilled worker must meet the educational, training, or experience requirements of the job opportunity. Relevant post-secondary education may be considered as training.
“Professionals”are persons whose job requires at least a U.S. baccalaureate or foreign equivalent degree and are a member of the professions.
The “other workers” subcategory is for persons performing unskilled labor requiring less than 2 years training or experience, not of a temporary or seasonal nature.

Eligibility Criteria

Sub-categories	Evidence	Certification
Skilled Workers	You must be able to demonstrate that you possess at least 2 years of job experience, education, or training that meets the job requirements specified on the labor certification. Relevant post-secondary education may be considered as training. You must be performing work for which qualified workers are not available in the United States.	Labor certification and a permanent, full-time job offer required.
Professionals	You must demonstrate that you possess a U.S. baccalaureate or foreign equivalent degree, and that a baccalaureate degree is the normal requirement for entry into the occupation. You must be performing work for which qualified workers are not available in the United States. Education and experience may not be substituted for a baccalaureate degree. You must meet any other requirements specified on the labor certification.	Labor certification and a permanent, full-time job offer required.
Unskilled Workers (Other Workers)	You must demonstrate the ability to perform unskilled labor (requiring less than 2 years training or experience), that is not of a temporary or seasonal nature. You must be performing work for which qualified workers are not available in the United States. You must meet any other requirements specified on the labor certification.	Labor certification and a permanent, full-time job offer required.

Note: While eligibility requirements for the third preference classification are less stringent, you should be aware that a long backlog exists for visas in the “other workers” category.

U.S. Department of Labor – Labor Certification

Third preference petitions must generally be accompanied by an approved, individual labor certification from the Department of Labor on Form ETA-9089. In some cases, the petition may be submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) with an uncertified ETA-9089 for consideration as Schedule A, Group I.

Application Process

Your employer (petitioner) must file a Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker. As part of the application process, your employer must be able to demonstrate an ability to pay the offered wage as of your visa priority date. Your employer may use an annual report, federal income tax return, or audited financial statement to demonstrate an ability to pay your wage.

Family of EB-3 Visa Holders

If your I-140 petition is approved, your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible to apply for admission to the United States in E34 (spouse of a “skilled worker” or “professional”) or EW4 (spouse of an “other worker”). and E35 (child of a “skilled worker” or “professional”) or EW5 (child of an “other worker”).

You may be eligible for an employment-based, fourth preference visa if you are a special immigrant. The following special immigrants are eligible for the fourth preference visa:

Religious Workers
Special Immigrant Juveniles
Broadcasters
G-4 International Organization or NATO-6 Employees and Their Family Members
International Employees of the U.S. Government Abroad
Armed Forces Members
Panama Canal Zone Employees
Certain Physicians
Afghan and Iraqi Translators
Afghan and Iraqi Nationals Who Have Provided Faith Service in Support of U.S. Operations

*Statutory authorization for the EB-4 non-minister special immigrant program for certain religious workers is scheduled to expire on Dec. 8, 2017. Therefore, visas are unavailable for that category after that date. Religious workers who are not ministers will not be eligible after that date unless Congress enacts, and the President approves, a law extending their eligibility.

Petitioning for an Employment-Based Fourth Preference Immigrant

To petition for an employment-based fourth preference immigrant, your employer must file a Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant. However, there are certain situations where you, the employee, may self-petition on your own behalf. Please review the form instructions to see if you are eligible to self-petition and what required supporting evidence needs to be included.

Family of EB-4 Visa Holders

Some EB-4 classifications allow derivative beneficiaries. Your spouse may also be admitted to the United States. Your children, unmarried under the age of 21, may be admitted to the United States.

Under sections 101(a)(27)(M) and 203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) (formerly known as the United States Broadcasting Board of Governors), or a grantee of the USAGM, may petition for you (and your accompanying spouse and children) to work as a broadcaster for the USAGM or a grantee of the USAGM in the United States. For the purposes of this section, we use the following definitions:

“USAGM grantee” means Radio Free Asia, Inc (RFA) or Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc. (RFE/RL); and
“Broadcaster” means a reporter, writer, translator, editor, producer or announcer for news broadcasts; hosts for news broadcasts, news analysis, editorial and other broadcast features; or a news analysis specialist. This term does not include noncitizens performing purely technical or support services for the USAGM or a USAGM grantee.

When the USAGM (or a USAGM grantee) submits Form I-360 on your behalf, they must include a signed and dated supplemental attestation that contains the following information about you:

The job title and a full description of the job you will perform; and
Your broadcasting expertise, including how long you have been performing duties that relate to the prospective position, or a statement as to how you have the necessary skills that make you qualified for the broadcasting-related position.

USCIS administers the EB-5 Program. Under this program, entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they:

Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and
Plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.

This program is known as EB-5 for the name of the employment-based fifth preference visa that participants receive.

Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. In 1992, Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as the Regional Center Program. This sets aside EB-5 visas for participants who invest in commercial enterprises associated with regional centers approved by USCIS based on proposals for promoting economic growth.

About the EB-5 Visa Classification

Visa Classification Description

USCIS administers the EB-5 program, created by Congress in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. Under a program initially enacted as a pilot in 1992, and regularly reauthorized since then, investors may also qualify for EB-5 classification by investing through regional centers designated by USCIS based on proposals for promoting economic growth. On Sept. 28, 2018, the President signed Public Law 115-245 extending the Regional Center Program through Dec. 7, 2018.

All EB-5 investors must invest in a new commercial enterprise, which is a commercial enterprise:

Established after Nov. 29, 1990, or
Established on or before Nov. 29, 1990, that is:

Purchased and the existing business is restructured or reorganized in such a way that a new commercial enterprise results,

Expanded through the investment so that at least a 40-percent increase in the net worth or number of employees occurs

Commercial enterprise means any for-profit activity formed for the ongoing conduct of lawful business including, but not limited to:

A sole proprietorship
Partnership (whether limited or general)
Holding company
Joint venture
Corporation
Business trust, or
Other entity, which may be publicly or privately owned.

This definition includes a commercial enterprise consisting of a holding company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, provided that each such subsidiary is engaged in a for-profit activity formed for the ongoing conduct of a lawful business.

Note: This definition does not include non-commercial activity such as owning and operating a personal residence.

Job Creation Requirements

An EB-5 investor must invest the required amount of capital in a new commercial enterprise that will create full-time positions for at least 10 qualifying employees.

For a new commercial enterprise not located within a regional center,the full-time positions must be created directly by the new commercial enterprise to be counted. This means that the new commercial enterprise (or its wholly owned subsidiaries) must itself be the employer of the qualifying employees.
For a new commercial enterprise located within a regional center, the full-time positions can be created either directly or indirectly by the new commercial enterprise. Up to 90% of the job creation requirement for regional center investors may be met using indirect jobs.
- Direct jobs are those jobs that establish an employer-employee relationship between the new commercial enterprise and the persons it employs.
- Indirect jobs are those jobs held outside of the new commercial enterprise but that are created as a result of the new commercial enterprise.
In the case of a troubled business, the EB-5 investor may rely on job maintenance.
- The investor must show that the number of existing employees is being,or will be,maintained at no less than the pre-investment level for a period of at least 2

A troubled business is a business that has been in existence for at least two years and has incurred a net loss during the 12- or 24-month period prior to the priority date on the immigrant investor’s Form I-526. The loss for this period must be at least 20 percent of the troubled business’ net worth prior to the loss. For purposes of determining whether the troubled business has been in existence for two years, successors in interest to the troubled business will be deemed to have been in existence for the same period of time as the business they succeeded.

A qualifying employee is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or other immigrant authorized to work in the United States including, but not limited to, a conditional resident, a temporary resident, an asylee, a refugee, or a person residing in the United States under suspension of deportation. This definition does not include the immigrant investor; his or her spouse, sons, or daughters; or any foreign national in any non-immigrant status (such as an H-1B non-immigrant) or who is not authorized to work in the United States.

Full-time employment means employment of a qualifying employee by the new commercial enterprise in a position that requires a minimum of 35 working hours per week. In the case of the regional center program, “full-time employment” also means employment of a qualifying employee in a position that has been created indirectly that requires a minimum of 35 working hours per week.

A job-sharing arrangement whereby two or more qualifying employees share a full-time position will count as full-time employment provided the hourly requirement per week is met. This definition does not include combinations of part-time positions even if, when combined, the positions meet the hourly requirement per week.

Jobs that are intermittent, temporary, seasonal, or transient in nature do not qualify as permanent full-time jobs. However, jobs that are expected to last at least 2 years are generally not considered intermittent, temporary, seasonal, or transient in nature.

Capital Investment Requirements

Capital means cash and all real, personal, or mixed tangible assets owned and controlled by the immigrant investor. All capital will be valued at fair-market value in U.S. dollars.

The definition of capital does not include:

Assets acquired, directly or indirectly, by unlawful means (such as criminal activities);
Capital invested in exchange for a note, bond, convertible debt, obligation, or any other debt arrangement between the immigrant investor and the new commercial enterprise;
Capital invested with a guaranteed rate of return on the amount invested; or
Capital invested that is subject to any agreement between the immigrant investor and the new commercial enterprise that provides the immigrant investor with a contractual right to repayment, except that the new commercial enterprise may have a buyback option that may be exercised solely at the discretion of the new commercial enterprise.

Note: Immigrant investors must establish that they are the legal owner of the capital invested. Capital can include their promise to pay (a promissory note) in certain circumstances.

The minimum investment amounts by filing date and investment location are:

Petition Filing Date	Minimum Investment Amount	Targeted Employment Area Investment Amount	High-Employment Area Investment Amount
Before 3/15/2022	$1,000,000	$500,000	$1,000,000
On or After 3/15/2022	$1,050,000	$800,000 (includes infrastructure projects)	N/A

Future adjustments will be tied to inflation using the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) from March 15, 2022, to the date of adjustment. These adjustments will occur every five years, with the first such adjustment effective for petitions filed on or after Jan. 1, 2027.

A targeted employment area can be, at the time of investment, either:

A rural area; or
An area that has experienced high unemployment (defined as at least 150% of the national average unemployment rate).

A rural area is any area other than an area within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) (as designated by the Office of Management and Budget) or within the outer boundary of any city or town having a population of 20,000 or more according to the most recent decennial census of the United States.

A high-unemployment area consists of the census tract or contiguous census tracts in which the new commercial enterprise is principally doing business, which may include any or all directly adjacent census tracts if the weighted average unemployment for the specified area based on the labor force employment measure for each tract is 150% of the national unemployment average.

Regional center investors may choose to invest in a new commercial enterprise engaged in an infrastructure project. An infrastructure project is a capital investment project in a filed or approved business plan, which is administered by a governmental entity (such as a Federal, State, or local agency or authority) that is the job-creating entity contracting with a regional center or new commercial enterprise to receive capital investment under the regional center program from alien investors or the new commercial enterprise as financing for maintaining, improving, or constructing a public works project of these set-aside visas that go unused are held in the same set-aside category for one more fiscal year. After the second fiscal year, any remaining unused immigrant visas in these set-aside categories are released to the unreserved EB-5 immigrant visa numbers during the third fiscal year.

EB-5 Investors

Petition/Application Process

File Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur
Following approval of the Form I-526 petition, either:

File Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, with USCIS to adjust status to a conditional permanent resident within the United States, or
File DS-260, Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, with the U.S. Department of State to obtain an EB-5 visa abroad to seek admission to the United States.

Upon the approval of a Form I-485 application or upon admission into the United States with an EB-5 immigrant visa, the EB-5 investor and derivative family members will be granted conditional permanent residence for a 2-year period.

Removing Conditions

File Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, within the 90-day period immediately before the second anniversary of the EB-5 investor’s admission to the United States as a conditional permanent resident.

If USCIS approves this petition, the conditions will be removed from the lawful permanent resident status of the EB-5 investor and any included dependents.

Form I-526 Petition for an Alien Entrepreneur

Requirements	Supporting Documents (Evidence)*
New Commercial Enterprise	Evidence that you have invested or are actively in the process of investing in a “for profit” new commercial enterprise, which is a commercial enterprise: Established after Nov. 29, 1990, or Established on or before Nov. 29, 1990, that is: 1. Purchased and the existing business is restructured or reorganized in such a way that a new commercial enterprise results, or 2. Expanded through the investment so that at least a 40-percent increase in the net worth or number of employees occurs Evidence, if applicable, that the new commercial enterprise has been established and, if you seek eligibility under the reduced investment amount, evidence regarding the targeted employment area (TEA).
Managing the New Commercial Enterprise	Evidence that you are or will be engaged in the management of the new commercial enterprise (either through day-to-day managerial control or through policy formulation).
Investment	Evidence that you have invested or are actively in the process of investing the required amount of capital ($1 million or, if the qualifying investment is within a TEA, $500,000). Evidence that the investment capital was obtained through lawful means. The petition must be accompanied, as applicable, by: Foreign business registration records; Corporate, partnership (or other entity), and personal tax returns, or other tax returns of any kind filed within 5 years, with any taxing jurisdiction in or outside the United States by you or on your behalf; Evidence identifying any other source of capital; or Certified copies of any judgments or evidence of all pending civil or criminal actions, governmental administrative proceedings, and any private civil actions (pending or otherwise) involving money judgments against you from any court in or outside the United States within the past 15 years.
Job Creation	Evidence that the new commercial enterprise will create at least 10 full-time positions for qualifying employees. If the requisite employees have not already been hired, you will need to submit a comprehensive business plan showing that, due to the nature and projected size of the new commercial enterprise, the need for at least 10 qualifying employees will result.
Job Preservation–Troubled Business	Evidence that the number of existing employees is being or will be maintained at no less than the pre-investment level for a period of at least 2 years. Submit photocopies of tax records; Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification; or other relevant documents for the qualifying employees and a comprehensive business plan in support of the petition.

Form I-829 Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions

You must submit Form I-829 within the 90-day period immediately before the second anniversary of your admission to the U.S. as a conditional permanent resident.

Requirements	Supporting Documents (Evidence)*
Investment	Evidence that you invested or are actively in the process of investing in a new commercial enterprise. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, copies of the business’ organizational documents and federal tax returns. Evidence that you have invested or are actively in the process of investing the required amount of capital. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to, an audited financial statement or other probative evidence. Evidence that you have sustained your investment in the new commercial enterprise throughout your 2-year period of conditional permanent residence. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, the following: Invoices and receipts; Bank statements; Contracts; Business licenses; Federal or state income tax returns; and Federal or state income quarterly tax statements.
Job Creation	Evidence that you created or will create within a reasonable time 10 full-time jobs for qualifying employees. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to: Payroll records Relevant tax documents; and Forms I-9 for employees.
Job Preservation–Troubled Business	The same documentation for job creation listed above, except the evidence must show that the commercial enterprise maintained the number of existing employees at no less than the pre-investment level for the period following the investor’s admission as a conditional permanent resident.

What is a Green Card?

Green Card is the permit allowing immigrants to permanently live and work in the United States of America.

The official name of the US Green Card is “Lawful Permanent Resident Card”.

Green Card holders can choose their place of work or where they want to live in the USA without limits and for however long they want.

Eligibility Categories

In order to apply for a Green Card, you must be eligible under one of the categories listed below.

Green Card through Employment
Green Card through Family

You may be eligible to apply as a…	If you…
Immigrant worker	Are a first preference immigrant worker, meaning you: Have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, or Are an outstanding professor or researcher, or Are a multinational manager or executive who meets certain criteria Are a second preference immigrant worker, meaning you: Are a member of a profession that requires an advanced degree, or Have exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business, or Are seeking a national interest waiver Are a third preference immigrant worker, meaning you are: A skilled worker (meaning your job requires a minimum of 2 years training or work experience), or A professional (meaning your job requires at least a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a foreign equivalent and you are a member of the profession), or An unskilled worker (meaning you will perform unskilled labor requiring less than 2 years training or experience)
Physician National Interest Waiver	Are a physician who agrees to work full-time in clinical practice in a designated underserved area for a set period of time and also meets other eligibility requirements
Immigrant investor	Have invested or are actively in the process of investing at least $1 million (or $500,000 in a targeted employment area) in a new commercial enterprise in the U.S. which will create full-time positions for at least 10 qualifying employees

You may be eligible to apply as a…	If you are the…
Immediate relative of a U.S. citizen	Spouse of a U.S. citizen Unmarried child under the age of 21 of a U.S. citizen Parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old
Other relative of a U.S. citizen or relative of a lawful permanent resident under the family-based preference categories	Family member of a U.S. citizen, meaning you are the: Unmarried son or daughter of a U.S. citizen and you are 21 years old or older Married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen Brother or sister of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old Family member of a lawful permanent resident, meaning you are the: Spouse of a lawful permanent resident Unmarried child under the age of 21 of a lawful permanent resident Unmarried son or daughter of a lawful permanent resident 21 years old or older
Fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen or the fiancé(e)’s child	Person admitted to the U.S. as a fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen (K-1 nonimmigrant) Person admitted to the U.S. as the child of a fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen (K-2 nonimmigrant)
Widow(er) of a U.S. citizen	Widow or widower of a U.S. citizen and you were married to your U.S. citizen spouse at the time your spouse died
VAWA self-petitioner– victim of battery or extreme cruelty	Abused spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident Abused child (unmarried and under 21 years old) of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident Abused parent of a U.S. citizen

United States of America

Immigration to USA – an exciting journey!

Common reasons are:

Notes:

Denied Entry to USA?

Employment Based Immigration Visas

Employment-Based Immigration: First Preference EB-1

Application Process

Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2

* Criteria

Note:

Family of EB-2 Visa Holders

Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3

Employment-Based Immigration: Fourth Preference EB-4

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program

Visa Classification Description

Job Creation Requirements

Capital Investment Requirements

Petition/Application Process

Removing Conditions

Form I-526 Petition for an Alien Entrepreneur

Form I-829 Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions

E-2 Investor Visa

What is a Green Card?

Eligibility Categories

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