Can i apply for a green card on my own?
Are you wondering if you can apply for your green card yourself? Learn about the eligibility requirements, the application process, and the potential benefits.
Over one million US Permanent Resident Green Cards are issued each year, with about half of them being granted to new immigrants arriving in the United States from various countries and the other half going to temporary legal residents already living in the USA through adjustment of status to lawful permanent residents (LPRs).
There are many ways to receive a US Green Card and depending on which pathway you take, you may be able to apply for a Green Card on your own, whereas other routes may require that someone else file a petition on your behalf before you can apply for a Green Card or at the same time that you apply for a Green Card.
This brief guide will give you an overview about applying for a Green Card on your own.
Table of Contents
Can I Apply for My Green Card Myself?
You can apply for a Green Card by yourself, however, you might need a sponsor to file a petition on your behalf with USCIS as part of the process, although some Green Card pathways do not require the filing of a petition.
There are several ways to receive a US Permanent Resident Green Card including:
- Family Sponsorship:
- American citizens can sponsor their fiancé(e), spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters for a Green Card.
- US permanent residents can sponsor their spouse and unmarried children for a Green Card.
- Employment:
- EB-1 Green Card:
- Foreign Workers with Extraordinary Ability in Arts, Athletics, Business, Education or Sciences
- Outstanding Researchers and Professors
- Multinational Executives and Managers
- EB-2 Green Card:
- Foreign Workers with an Advanced Degree
- Foreign Workers with Exceptional Ability in the Arts, Business or Sciences
- EB-3 Green Card:
- Skilled Foreign Workers
- Foreign Professionals
- Other Foreign Workers
- EB-4 Green Card for Special Immigrants such as:
- International Broadcasters
- Foreign Religious Workers
- Afghan Interpreters and Translators Who Worked for the US Government
- Iraqi Interpreters and Translators Who Worked for the US Government
- EB-5 Green Card for Immigrant Investors:
- EB-1 Green Card:
- Diversity Visa Program
- Asylee (Asylum) or Refugee Status
Some of these Green Card pathways require someone else to file a petition with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and to receive approval before the immigrant can apply for a Green Card.
For example, the EB-3 Employment-Based Immigration Visa and Green Card requires the sponsoring employer in the US to file the Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker with USCIS and to receive approval before the immigrant can apply for a Green Card.
Other Green Card pathways permit the Petition to be filed at the same time that the Green Card application is filed.
For example, the Family Sponsorship pathway requires a US citizen or permanent resident to file the Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative; however, the family member who is being sponsored can file the Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (i.e., the Green Card application) concurrently with the I-130 Petition or wait for the I-130 Petition to be approved before filing.
There are particular routes to receive a Green Card in which the immigrant can simply apply for the Green Card without needing anything to be filed by another person.
For example, an immigrant who receives a Diversity Immigrant Visa in his or her passport can simply pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee and apply for the Green Card online, while a person who has been legally living in the USA for one year with official Asylee (Asylum) or Refugee status can file the Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
Conclusion
As an immigrant, you can apply for a Green Card by yourself, regardless of which Green Card pathway you take.
The real issue is whether you need a sponsor (such as an employer or family member) to file a petition with USCIS on your behalf as part of the Green Card application process before or at the same time that you file your Green Card application.
For most of the one million people who receive a US Permanent Resident Green Card each year, a sponsor is needed to file the relevant petition with USCIS during the Green Card application process.
Even when a petition is required, the immigrant is ultimately the person who will usually apply for the Green Card.
USAFIS can provide you with a US Visa Assessment that will let you know which Green Card pathway or US visa option best matches your profile.
You can also receive guidance to gather the documents that will be required during the application procedure.
To find out which US visa is right for you, click here!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Can I apply for my Green Card by myself?
Yes, you can apply for your Green Card by yourself, however, you might need a sponsor to file the relevant petition with USCIS on your behalf, depending on which Green Card pathway you take. The majority of approximately one million US Green Cards issued each year require family or employer sponsorship, which involves the filing of a petition with USCIS at the start of the process. There are some US immigration programs, however, such as the Diversity Visa Program, which do not require sponsorship, so once the Immigrant Visa is received, the new permanent resident can apply online with USCIS and pay the governmental fee to receive the Green Card. Similarly, a foreign national legally living in the USA with official asylee (asylum) or refugee status for one year can apply for a Green Card on their own (although help is available if they need assistance with the paperwork).
What is sponsorship in regards to a Green Card application?
In general, a sponsor is a US citizen or permanent resident at least 18 years of age who petitions the American government to grant lawful permanent resident (LPR) status to their close family member so they can live, study and work in the United States for an unlimited period of time. A sponsor could also be an employer in the United States that wants to petition the American government to allow them to hire a foreign worker permanently through an Employment-Based Green Card program, because they cannot find a qualified US citizen or permanent resident to fill a job opening that they have been advertising.
Do I need a US immigration lawyer to apply for a Green Card?
No, you do not need to hire a US immigration lawyer to help you apply for a Green Card. Nonetheless, many people choose to hire a US immigration lawyer to simplify the process for them, make sure it is done correctly, to answer questions they have about their case and to handle any complications that might arise during the process.
What are the benefits of having a Green Card?
US Permanent Resident Green Card holders can receive many benefits including: living in the US for an unlimited amount of time in any of the 50 states; legally working in the USA; gaining access to world-class education programs in the United States; having the opportunity to buy a home and start a business in the US; traveling to and from the USA according to the regulations; sponsoring family members for a Green Card; experiencing equality and freedom protected by law; being able to enjoy beautiful beaches, forests, mountains, lakes and other outdoor scenery; getting to choose from a wide variety of consumer goods and services available in the United States; and having the option to apply for American citizenship after living in the US for 5 years and satisfying other criteria.
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