How Long Does it Take to Get a Green Card
With scores of green card aspirants out there, it isn't surprising that 'how long does it take to get a green card ' happens to be the most FAQ about the United States Lawful Permanent Residency. If you happen to be one of these aspirants, the following information on green card processing time will help you clear all your doubts about it.
Basically, an individual can apply for citizenship in the United States after completing 5 years of residency. The same period is shortened up to 4 years, if the permanent residency was received through political asylum specified by international and Federal law, and up to 3 years if the individual is married to a US citizen.
How Much Time does it Take to Get a Green Card
The time required for green card processing in the United States varies from one case to another, depending on the circumstances. The process of obtaining a green card has many variables, and hence it is difficult to accurately determine how long it would take to get a green card. At times, the entire process - right from filing the visa petition to granting of the status for permanent residence, can take up to a few years. If everything goes well though, you can get your green card in somewhere around 6-12 months from the submission of application.
Green card processing time may also vary in accordance to the outcome of medical tests and submission of required documents. But obviously, delay in these aspects is bound to cause further delay in getting the green card. Overall, the time required for green card processing largely depends on the information and evidence you provide while applying for it, and the method chosen to obtain it.
Employment Based Green Card
In employer sponsored green card, most of the work related to the application is done by you, and at some point you require your employers acknowledgment in form of signatures or a copy of your hiring record. When the green card is sponsored by the employer, the process involves three steps:
It is estimated that the first step, i.e. the labor certification application, approximately takes 6 months. The second step, i.e. the immigration petition, take around 3 months. And lastly, the final step, which happens to be the adjustment of status, takes about a year. These are general estimates which may vary from region to region, depending on the number of people aspiring to get a green card. In Florida for instance, processing a green card application may take longer than what it takes in the state of Iowa.
| ► | Labor Certification Application |
| ► | Immigrant Petition |
| ► | Adjustment of Status |
Green Card for 'Non-Schedule A' (NSA) Alien
The process to acquire a green card for 'Non-Schedule A' (NSA) Alien is pretty long. The first phase of this process is labor certification, which is followed by the filing of I-140, while the second phase involves Adjustment of Status or Consulate Processing. The process can take anywhere between 15 to 24 months - even longer at times. The duration required to complete this process largely depends on the priority date of the primary applicant.
Family Sponsored Green Card
As far as the family sponsored green card is concerned, it can be attained by any of the immediate relatives of the U.S. citizen. The immediate relatives, in this case, include the spouse, minor children or parents of an individual who is a Lawful Permanent Resident of America. A marriage based green card is sponsored by the spouse of the applicant. In this process, the applicant's spouse has to file a Form I-130, 'Petition for Alien Relative', which will state that the applicant is eligible for an 'immediate relative or family' sponsored visa classification. The time required for green card processing, in this case, may vary in accordance to the relationship of the applicant with the individual who is sponsoring the green card.
| Simple Tips to Speed Up Green Card Process |
| Though it is difficult to predict exactly how much time it will take for you to get the green card, there do exist some steps which can help you speed up the overall processing time. First of all, you will have to make sure that you submit the green card application, as well as all the required documents and evidence, well in advance. You will also have to ensure that you provide all the required information when filling the application form. In case of any changes in the information that you have provided, they should be promptly brought to the notice of the authorities. Though small, these are some effective tips which can make sure that you don't hit any roadblocks when it comes to green card processing, and you get it in quickest time possible. |
Before issuing the green card, the Consulate may also perform additional checks, such as moral character, affiliation to banned outfits or criminal background, which may furthermore delay the total time required for green card processing. There have been cases wherein green card processing has taken several years, instead of 6-12 months which is usually the case. The availability of visa is yet another factor which comes into play when you apply for a green card, considering that visas in some categories are not readily available.
To summarize, the overall time taken to get a green card varies from one case to another with quite a few factors coming into play. At times, a visa application of a layman may get settled faster than that of renowned people - like some NBA star or a world famous scientists. You can check your case status online by registering an account with the official website of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You can also call the USCIS National Call Center on 1-800-375-5283, or e-mail the service center which has the jurisdiction over your case - if they fail to attend your query even after 30 days, to inquire about the case status.
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