What is the Fastest way to get a Green Card for Indians?
How can an Indian get Green Card in USA?
A White House Commission has recommended issuing employment authorization cards and other travel documents early in the Green Card application process. The proposal would benefit thousands of foreign professionals, including many Indians.
The proposal would grant employment authorization and travel documents to individuals with approved employment-based visa petitions. It would include applicants who have been in the backlog for over 5 years and had submitted their application in 2018.
The proposal was moved by Silicon Valley-based Indian American entrepreneur Ajay Jain Bhutoria. Bhutoria has been a Biden supporter since the beginning of his campaign.
The proposal would ease the application process for Green Cards. It would also reduce wait times by:
- Expanding premium processing
- Establishing new internal cycle time goals to be achieved by September 2023
If an application is not completed in six months, it will not be terminated and will continue to be processed in a timely fashion.
How to get a Green Card?
This isn't legal advice. You may want to consult a lawyer about this question.
To apply for a Green Card, you must:
- Determine which Green Card category you might be eligible for
- File an immigrant petition
- Complete a Green Card application (Form I-485)
- Prepare for in-person appointments with the consular office
- Estimate when you will receive your Green Card
- Some ways to get a Green Card include:
- Family sponsorship
- Employer sponsorship
- Refugee or asylee status
- Individual filing
The easiest and fastest way to get a Green Card is through family sponsorship. If you have a relative over 21 years of age who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, you will have an easier time getting your Green Card.
The sponsor files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) for family or employment categories. For employment-based green cards, the sponsor files Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker).
Is a Green Card a Permanent Resident Card?
Yes, a Green Card is also known as a permanent resident card. It's an identity document that shows a person has permanent residency in the United States. Green card holders are formally known as lawful permanent residents (LPRs).
A Green Card allows a non-citizen to:
- Live and work permanently in the United States
- Qualify for U.S. citizenship after three or five years
- Use their Green Card to prove employment eligibility and apply for a social security card
A Green Card is not temporary and can't be revoked with potential changes to immigration laws.
The steps to apply for a Green Card vary depending on your individual situation.
How much is the Green Card Fee?
The government filing fee for a family-based green card is $1,760 for applicants living in the United States, and $1,200 for applicants living outside the United States. This doesn't include the cost of the medical exam, which varies by provider.
Other fees include:
- $325 immigrant visa application fee
- $535 for the I-130 form
- $1,225 for the Adjustment of Status application and Biometrics
- $220 USCIS Immigrant Fee
- $455 filing fee to renew a green card
- $85 biometrics fee to renew a green card
You can pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online with a valid credit or debit card, or by providing your U.S. bank routing and checking account numbers.
How many years will it take to get a Green Card?
The processing time for a Green Card depends on the category:
- Family-based: 7–33 months
- Marriage-based: 10–13 months
- Employment-based: 1–6 years
- Returning resident immigrant: No processing time
The processing time for a family-based Green Card can vary from a few months to up to 15 years. It can take longer for citizens of Mexico, China, India, and the Philippines. For Indians, it could be 10–100 years, depending on the case.
The number of green cards available each year is capped at 7% of the total number of green cards issued. This means that only about 65,000 green cards are available each year for Indians.
Who is eligible for a Green Card?
This isn't legal advice. You may want to consult a lawyer about this question.
Eligibility for a Green Card depends on the category you're applying under. Some categories include:
- Family-based: Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, including spouses, children, parents, and siblings
- Employment-based: Immigrant workers, physicians, and immigrant investors
- Annual Diversity Green Card Lottery
- Special Immigrants
- Refuge and Asylum
- Other categories include:
- Living in the US before January 1, 1972
- Preferred employees and workers with job offers from U.S. companies
The process of getting a Green Card can be long and complicated. Doing it incorrectly could waste years and a lot of money. It could also expose you to deportation, criminal charges, and being barred fom ever entering the US.
