Charlotte Green Card Lawyer | Permits for Permanent Residency

Charlotte Green Card Lawyer

If you are considering applying for a green card, you deserve help with this challenging and nuanced process. A green card is a powerful immigration permit that classifies you as a permanent U.S. resident. While it does not award citizenship, it grants you the right to live and work here permanently. Additionally, obtaining a green card could allow you to begin the naturalization process and seek citizenship in the future.

Obtaining a green card is complex, and there are several avenues for acquiring one. For instance, you could seek sponsorship from a qualifying relative or an employer, but your status as a refugee, asylum seeker, or orphan might make you eligible. Let a Charlotte green card lawyer empower you and help you apply for the permit you deserve. Our dedicated immigration attorneys are here to help you make the most of your case. En Español

Steps to Apply for a Green Card

Although each case is unique, most green card applicants seek their permit through similar routes. For instance, you could ask a family member to sponsor you by filing a petition for an alien relative, have an employer sponsor you by filing an immigrant petition for an alien worker, or apply for asylum and withholding of removal. Once you choose the right kind of application for your circumstances, the process entails:

Enlisting a relative or employer to sponsor you and filing an immigrant petition
Waiting for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to approve or deny your petition
Filing a green card application with USCIS after the agency approves your petition for an immigrant visa
Attending your biometrics appointment
Completing your interview with USCIS

Our lawyers in Charlotte are here to empower and guide you through each step of applying for a green card. A dedicated attorney could answer questions, address concerns, and make sure you have the knowledge you need to make the most of your case.

Family Sponsorship for a Green Card

Anyone sponsoring a foreign national for a green card must meet a few basic requirements. They must be at least 18 years old, a maintain permanent residency or citizenship in the U.S., and live in the United States or a U.S. territory or possession. They also must pay back any public benefits that were obtained illegally. A knowledgeable Charlotte lawyer could help you understand whether you have chosen an eligible sponsor for your green card application.

Immediate Family and Family Preference Sponsorships

U.S. citizens and green card holders can sponsor immediate family members, spouses, unmarried children younger than 21, and parents for a green card. If a U.S. citizen who is an immediate relative sponsors your green card application, you won’t have to wait for an immigrant visa before entering the country and seeking your green card. However, if your sponsor is a green card holder or you are their adult child, you will be added to a waiting list for a visa.

U.S. citizens can also sponsor immigrant aliens who are not immediate family members. For instance, a citizen could help unmarried children, married children, or siblings apply for permanent residency. Finally, green card holders can sponsor spouses and unmarried adult children. A dedicated attorney could answer questions about sponsorship and help you keep your green card case on track.

How Can Employers Sponsor an Immigrant?

If a prospective employer offers you a job and obtains a certificate from the U.S. department of labor, you can likely seek an employment-based green card. However, there are several factors that USCIS will consider when approving work-based green card applications.

Green Card Preference Categories

First, immigration officials will determine whether there are not enough U.S. workers to fill the job or if the type of job offered negatively impacts U.S. employees’ wages and working conditions. Then, USCIS will consider the type of employment that you are seeking and place you into a preference category. EB-1, the first preference category, reserves green cards for immigrants with outstanding talents in science, arts, education, business, or athletics. This category often includes college professors, researchers, and some business executives and managers.

The second preference category, EB-2, is reserved for immigrants with advanced degrees or specific labor certifications, while the EB-3 category is intended for skilled workers and other degreed professionals. EB-4 preference awards green cards to special individuals like ministers, broadcasters, and some employees working for the U.S. government abroad. The fifth preference category, EB-5, accommodates immigrants who plan to invest between $500,000 and $1 million in a U.S.-based business.

An experienced Charlotte attorney could help you determine which preference category would be right for your employment-based green card.

A Charlotte Green Card Attorney Accompanies You on Your Journey

If you are hoping to become a permanent resident of the U.S., there are some processes and nuances you need to understand. Applying for a green card can be a unique challenge, full of paperwork, roadblocks, and long waits.

However, when you take your case to a Charlotte green card lawyer, you maximize your chances of achieving your immigration goals. Our dedicated legal team can assess your circumstances, answer questions, and help you submit an airtight application. Call today to schedule your consultation and learn more about how our team can assist.