What Are the Legal Ways to Get a US Green Card?

Who Can Legally Apply for a US Green Card? Pathways and Requirements Explained

In recent years, the United States has granted over 1.1 million Green Cards annually. These are officially known as lawful permanent resident cards and provide recipients with the right to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely. Most Green Card holders are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of residency.

The current US Green Card system was established by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and was significantly restructured under the Immigration Act of 1990. Today, most Green Cards are issued through family reunification programs, while the remainder are distributed through employment, based categories, humanitarian programs, and the Diversity Visa Program. In addition to permanent visas, the United States admits millions of individuals annually on temporary visas for work, study, or tourism.

This guide explores all the major legal paths to U.S. permanent residency, clarifies visa categories, and explains why professional assistance can improve your chances of success, especially for programs like the Diversity Visa.

Understanding the Scope of US Green Card Issuance

Green Cards, officially known as Permanent Resident Cards, offer a pathway to lawful permanent residency in the United States. The U.S. government issues over 1.1 million Green Cards per year through a variety of categories. These include:

Family-sponsored immigration
Employment-based immigration
Refugee and asylum programs
Diversity Visa Program

Each category has different eligibility requirements, processing times, and annual limits. Some allow immediate immigration with no wait, while others can involve multi-year backlogs due to high demand and visa caps.

Family-Based Immigration

About two-thirds of all US Green Cards are issued through family-based categories. There are two major types

Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens: No annual limit. Includes spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens.
Family Preference Categories: Capped at approximately 226,000 visas per year. Includes:
- F1: Unmarried sons and daughters (age 21 and over) of U.S. citizens
- F2A: Spouses and children of Green Card holders
- F2B: Unmarried adult children of Green Card holders
- F3: Married children of U.S. citizens
- F4: Siblings of U.S. citizens

These categories often face long wait times due to high demand, especially for applicants from countries like Mexico, India, and the Philippines

Employment-Based Immigration

The United States allocates approximately 140,000 Green Cards annually for employment-based categories. These are divided into five preference levels:

EB-1: Priority workers (extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, multinational executives)
EB-2: Professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability
EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
EB-4: Special immigrants (religious workers, certain international employees, etc.)
EB-5: Immigrant investors who invest $800,000 or more in U.S. commercial enterprises and create jobs

Most of these categories require employer sponsorship and labor certification. EB-5 investors can apply directly if they meet investment and job creation requirements.

Diversity Visa Program: Expanding Opportunity Worldwide

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly referred to as the Green Card Lottery, was created by the Immigration Act of 1990 to encourage immigration from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Each year, up to 55,000 US Green Cards are made available through this program.

The Diversity Visa (DV) Program is unique among immigration pathways in that it does not require a job offer, a family relationship, or refugee status. Instead, applicants are selected randomly from eligible entries submitted during the registration period.

Who Is Eligible?

Be a native of a qualifying country (those underrepresented in U.S. immigration over the last five years)
Have at least a high school education or its equivalent, or have two years of work experience within the last five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience

Countries that send more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over a five-year period are excluded from the lottery. For example, countries like Canada, Mexico, China, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines are often ineligible due to its high number of immigrants to the United States

Selection and Process

Each year, millions of people submit entries but among those selected, many never receive a Green Card due to disqualification or failure to complete the next steps.

Winners must:

Complete Form DS-260 online
Submit civil and identification documents
Attend a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate
Pass medical and security checks

Because selection does not guarantee a visa, it’s critical that applicants carefully follow all instructions and meet strict documentation requirements.

Why So Many Are Disqualified

Approximately 65% of selected applicants are ultimately disqualified. Common reasons include:

Submitting an incorrect photo
Providing inconsistent or false information
Missing deadlines or failing to respond to communication

Many well-qualified individuals lose their opportunity simply because they do not understand the complex and technical requirements of the DV process.

Why Use a Professional Service?

Using a professional immigration service, such as US GREEN CARD OFFICE, significantly improves your chances of submitting a complete and compliant application. With over 25 years of experience, US GREEN CARD OFFICE has helped more than 400,000 people successfully pursue their dream of living in the United States.

Our service ensures:

Step-by-step guide
Simple and easy registration
Advice in your language
Human expert photo verification
Open for registration 365 days a year
Online phone, chat, and email support
Multiple-year submission
Guarantee to qualify
Instant photo error alert
Change contact information
Retrieve lost confirmation number

For a once-a-year opportunity where simple mistakes can disqualify you, expert support can make all the difference.

To learn more why you should always use a professional service, visit: https://www.usgreencardoffice.com/green-card-lottery

Temporary U.S. Visas: Work, Study, and Travel

Temporary visas allow individuals to enter the United States for a specific purpose and for a limited period of time. These visas do not lead directly to permanent residency, but they provide important legal pathways for travel, business, education, seasonal work, and cultural exchange. While not all temporary visa holders transition to US Green Cards, these visas often serve as a stepping stone for future permanent residency.

Tourist and Business Visitors (B Visas)

The B-1 and B-2 visas are the most common non-immigrant visas. They allow short-term entry for business (B-1) or pleasure and tourism (B-2).

Validity: Typically issued for 6 months, with possible extensions
Uses: Attending meetings, negotiating contracts, vacationing, or visiting family

Student and Exchange Visas (F, M, and J Visas)

These visas allow foreign nationals to pursue education or participate in cultural exchange programs in the United States

F-1: For academic students attending university or language programs
M-1: For vocational or technical training students
J-1: For exchange visitors, including scholars, researchers, and au pairs

Holders of these visas may be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which allow them to work in their field of study for a limited time.

Temporary Workers (H, L, O, TN Visas)

Temporary employment visas allow foreign nationals to work in the U.S. in specialized roles or as part of multinational business transfers

H-1B: For skilled workers in specialty occupations, capped at 85,000 per year with additional space for U.S. advanced degree holders. Typically valid for 3 years, renewable to 6.
H-2A: For seasonal agricultural workers. No annual cap.
H-2B: For seasonal non-agricultural workers, such as those in hospitality or construction. Capped at 66,000, subject to expansion.
L-1: For intra-company transfers of managers or employees with specialized knowledge. No cap, valid for 1 to 3 years, renewable up to 7.
O-1: For individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
TN: For Canadian and Mexican professionals under the USMCA. Renewable indefinitely in 3-year increments.

These visa holders can sometimes pursue permanent residency if they receive sponsorship from an employer, although most visas are strictly temporary in nature.

Immigration Limits, Backlogs, and Policy Challenges

Despite the numerous legal pathways available, obtaining a US Green Card or temporary visa is not always straightforward. Limits on visa availability, country-specific quotas, long wait times, and administrative backlogs present ongoing challenges for prospective immigrants.

Per-Country Caps

U.S. immigration law limits the number of US Green Cards that can be issued to individuals from any single country to 7% of the total in each visa category. This rule applies to both family and employment-based Green Cards. This has created massive backlogs for applicants from high-demand countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines.

Wait Times and Visa Bulletins

Each month, the U.S. Department of State publishes a Visa Bulletin showing which applications are being processed. Some applicants wait over 20 years.

Family and Employment Backlogs

More than 3.7 million people await family-based Green Cards, and around 121,000 waits for employment-based ones. Processing delays, quota limits, and administrative inefficiencies worsen these numbers each year.

Legislative Stalemates

Immigration reform has stalled in Congress. Major proposals like the 2013 Senate bill failed to pass the House, leaving the system outdated and overwhelmed.

Conclusion: Navigating U.S. Immigration with Confidence and Support

Navigating the complex U.S. immigration system can feel overwhelming. Whether applying through family sponsorship, employment, humanitarian relief, or the Diversity Visa Program, understanding your options is crucial.

For Diversity Visa applicants, the stakes are high. Millions apply each year, of those, 65% are disqualified due to simple mistakes, and up to 110.000 are selected for the processing.

At US GREEN CARD OFFICE, we help you get it right the first time. With over 25 years of experience and more than 400,000 successful clients, we ensure your application is accurate and on time.

Start your journey today at https://www.usgreencardoffice.com/apply