Immigration Visa

For most people applying for a GreenCard is the ultimate step for starting a new existence in the USA. However, getting hold of such an unlimited work and residence permit is anything but easy. Persons with special qualifications and investors have a chance of getting such a permit. Relatives and spouses of US-residents can apply under certain circumstances. Here a short overview of the requirements for the applicants:

Persons of national interest for the USA (category EB-1)

Persons who can apply for this category:

Unlike in most other categories he EB-1 does not require proof that no American employee would be available for the same job.

Persons with extraordinary abilities (category EB-2)

This is further subdivided into:

The employment offer of a US-employer is always a prerequisite. Additionally an examination of the American job market is required, proving that no equally qualified American would be available for the same position.

Academics, qualified personnel, employees (Category EB-3)

In this category qualified persons with higher education, qualified employees with at least 2 years of work experience, and other employees with certain skills can apply if they have a job offer. After an examination of the US-Job market proving that no equally qualified American would be available for the same position, you can apply for a GreenCard. Employees without particular skills should expect a long waiting period.

Religious workers (Category EB-4)

Certain persons working in a religious field can also apply for a GreenCard. However, unlike in the similarly defined non immigration visa R-1, it has to be proven here that the applicant has already executed some kind of religious work for a church or community in his home country for at least two years. Membership alone is not sufficient. An examination of the job market is not necessary, however, so that this still proves a quite easy possibility for obtaining a GreenCard.

Investors (Category EB-5)

Investors creating employment for at least ten non-relatives by investing capital in new commercial enterprises in the USA, can also obtain a GreenCard. The investment must be in the range of min. 500,000 to 1 million USD, depending on the employment situation in the respective geographical area. The unlimited GreenCard will only be granted after 2 years, when the investment has been realized and jobs created.

Relatives of US-Citizens

Relatives of US-Citizens, who can immigrate into the USA are: parents, children and siblings.

There is NO chance, however, for grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and other relatives. Parents and unmarried children under the age of 21 receive the permit to immigrate immediately, older or already married children, though, have to wait for a comparatively long time. Siblings of US-citizens may apply but have only very low chances as the waiting period can be up to 10 years.

Relatives of GreenCard-holders
A holder of a GreenCard is only entitled to draw one category of relatives to the USA after him: his unmarried children.

Married children, parents, siblings and other relatives (except spouses, see below) have NO chance to obtain a GreenCard from the referencee. This, however, can change, should the GreenCard holder apply for US-citizenship after a minimum of five years. In this case he can also ’fetch’ other family members.

Spouses of US citizens or GreenCard-holders

US citizens as well as GreenCard-holders are entitled to take their spouse with them to the US after their marriage. While spouses of US-citizens may immigrate immediately, spouses of GreenCard-holders might have to expect a waiting period of up to 5 years.

Winners of the GreenCard-lottery

The easiest way to the GreenCard is the GreenCard-lottery. Every year the US-government raffles GreenCards in the course of their Diversity Visa Program. Of course luck plays an important role here, but for many people this is the only way to make their dream of a life in the USA come true. Several thousand GreenCards are distributed to participants in German speaking Europe alone. For this reason THE AMERICAN DREAM offers you comprehensive services especially in connection with the lottery. Please click here for your Application …