How to Immigrate to the USA
Millions of people have successfully immigrated to the USA. Nevertheless, the process can be quite long and complex, and there is no guarantee of success. The two most promising ways to obtain U.S. permanent residence and citizenship are through family and through employment. If you live abroad, you should apply for an immigration visa at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country.
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Instructions
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Find a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or U.S. employer to act as sponsor for your permanent resident (green card) petition. If you have a close relative, including a spouse, who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, this relative can sponsor a green card petition for you. If you can secure a promise of employment from a white-collar employer for a position in which U.S. employees are in short supply, you can ask a prospective employer to sponsor you.
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If your sponsor is a relative, he or she will need to fill out USCIS Form I-130 on your behalf. If your sponsor is an employer, your employer will need to fill out USCIS Form I-140 on your behalf. Once the sponsorship application is approved, the USCIS will mail you an application packet.
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Wait the required amount of time. If your sponsor is a U.S. citizen spouse or your employer, you will have to wait only for the paperwork to be completed. If your sponsor is another relative, you will have to wait in line for your visa number to become current. This process sometimes takes a decade or more.
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Obtain police reports from every place where you have lived at least one year since you turned 16 (to verify that you have no serious criminal record).
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Complete a physical examination at a medical clinic approved by the USCIS. Your doctor will have to complete a form supplied by the USCIS, sign it, and place it in a sealed envelope for delivery to the USCIS embassy or consulate listed in your visa packet.
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Have your U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative fill out the USCIS Affidavit of Support on your behalf (you are exempt from this requirement if your sponsor is your employer). Your sponsor will have to prove sufficient resources to provide for your support in the event that you become destitute.
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Make an appointment for a visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your place of residence. The appropriate telephone number should be included in your visa packet.
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Come to your visa interview with your passport, several passport-sized photos, your visa documents (physical examination report, police report) and any other requested documents. Fill out Form DS-156 and Form DS-157 (if you are a male between the ages of 16 and 55). If your interview is successful, an immigration visa will be stamped onto your passport.
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Enter the USA on your new immigration visa. Your green card will be sent to your U.S. address several weeks after you enter the USA.
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Tips & Warnings
If your sponsor is a U.S. citizen spouse, you should be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship within three years of entry. Otherwise, you will have to wait five years.
If you live abroad for more than one year continuously at any time after receiving your green card but before receiving citizenship, your green card could be revoked. If you must go abroad for that long, be sure to apply for a Re-entry Permit before you leave the USA.
