Green cards
How to get a green card: every route in one place
A green card makes you a US permanent resident. Most people get one through family, a job, their own record, an investment, the diversity lottery or humanitarian protection. Find the route that fits you, who files it, how long the line can be and what it costs.
Last checked October 2026 · Sources
- Main routes
- Family, employment, investment, lottery, humanitarian
- Routes with no employer
- EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, EB-5, family
- Sources
- INA, 8 CFR, USCIS, Form G-1055
- Last checked
- October 2026
Quick answer
How do you get a green card?
Someone usually has to file a petition for you: a US citizen or green card holder relative, a US employer, or you yourself if you qualify for EB-1A, EB-2 NIW or EB-5. Once the petition is approved and a visa number is available for your category and country, you apply for the green card itself, inside the US or at a US consulate abroad.
- Spouses, unmarried children under 21 and parents of adult US citizens have no yearly limit.
- Most other categories have yearly limits, so you may wait for your priority date.
- EB-1A and EB-2 NIW let you file for yourself, with no employer.
Through family
A US citizen or green card holder relative files Form I-130 for you.
Marriage green card
Married to a US citizen or green card holder. If you were married under two years when you got it, your first card lasts two years.
Read more FianceK-1 fiance visa
Come to the US to marry a US citizen within 90 days, then apply for your green card here.
Read more Other relativesFamily preference categories
Adult children of citizens, siblings of adult citizens, and family of green card holders. Yearly limits apply, so waits can be long.
Read moreThrough your work, with no employer needed
You can file these yourself. Your record and plans carry the case, not a job offer.
EB-1A, extraordinary ability
For people at the top of their field. No job offer and no labor certification.
Read more Self-petitionEB-2 NIW, national interest waiver
Advanced degree or exceptional ability, plus work that is in the national interest. No job offer if USCIS grants the waiver.
Read moreThrough an employer
A US employer files for you. Most of these need a labor certification (PERM) from the Department of Labor first.
EB-2 with PERM
A job that needs a master’s degree, or a bachelor’s plus five years of progressive experience.
Read more EB-3EB-3 skilled workers and professionals
A permanent, full-time job for skilled workers, professionals and other workers.
Read more EB-1BOutstanding professors and researchers
Internationally recognized researchers with a qualifying job offer. No labor certification.
Read more EB-1CMultinational managers and executives
Managers and executives transferred by the same company group. No labor certification.
Read moreOther routes
EB-5 investor green card
Invest $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area, in a business that creates 10 full-time jobs.
Read more LotteryDiversity visa lottery
Up to 55,000 immigrant visas a year for people from countries with low rates of immigration to the US.
Read more HumanitarianRefugees and asylees
You can apply after one year of physical presence in the US after being admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.
Read more MoreEvery other category
Special immigrants, VAWA, T and U visa holders and more. USCIS lists every category.
Read moreThe main routes side by side
Who files and whether a yearly limit applies decide most of your timeline.
| Route | Who files | Employer needed | Yearly limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse, child under 21 or parent of an adult US citizen | Your citizen relative | No | None |
| Other family (preference categories) | Your relative | No | Yes, at least 226,000 a year in total |
| EB-1A | You, or anyone for you | No | Yes, EB-1 share |
| EB-2 NIW | You, or an employer | No | Yes, EB-2 share |
| EB-2 or EB-3 with PERM | Your employer | Yes | Yes |
| EB-5 | You, the investor | No | Yes |
| Diversity lottery | You enter the lottery | No | Up to 55,000 |
The steps, for most routes
-
Petition
Your relative (I-130), your employer or you (I-140), or you as an investor (I-526 or I-526E) file the petition. Most employer cases need PERM first.
-
Wait for a visa number
If your category has a yearly limit, your priority date must be current in the Visa Bulletin for your country of birth.
-
Apply for the green card
Inside the US you file Form I-485 to adjust status. Outside the US you go through the National Visa Center and a US consulate.
-
Biometrics, interview, decision
USCIS or the consulate takes your fingerprints, may interview you, and decides. Your card arrives by mail.
Main government fees
USCIS fees from Form G-1055, edition 10/01/26. Some forms cost less when filed online.
| Form | What it is | Paper | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-130 | Family petition | $675 | $625 |
| I-140 | Employment petition, including EB-1A and NIW | $715 plus Asylum Program Fee | $665 plus Asylum Program Fee |
| I-526 or I-526E | Investor petition | $3,675 | Not listed |
| I-485 | Green card application, age 14 or over | $1,440 | $1,390 |
| I-751 | Remove conditions on a two-year card | $750 | $700 |
FAQ
Questions people ask
It depends on your situation. Immediate relatives of US citizens have no yearly limit, so they do not wait for a visa number. For workers, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW skip the labor certification step. Processing times still vary by form and office.
Yes. Family routes, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW (if USCIS grants the waiver), EB-5, the diversity lottery and humanitarian routes do not need an employer.
You can file the petition yourself for EB-1A and EB-2 NIW, and as an investor for EB-5. Most other routes need a relative or an employer to file for you.
Your place in line. In categories with yearly limits, you can apply for the green card itself only when your priority date is current in the Visa Bulletin.
Government fees depend on the route. For example, an I-130 family petition is $675 on paper and an I-485 is $1,440 on paper (Form G-1055, 10/01/26). Medical exam and legal fees are extra.
Usually after five years as a permanent resident, or three years if you have been married to and living with a US citizen. Other requirements apply.
Not sure which route fits you?
Answer a few questions and see which green card routes match your profile. Free, no card. Not legal advice.
Sources · checked October 2026
- 8 U.S.C. 1151, worldwide levels and immediate relatives
- 8 U.S.C. 1153, family preference categories
- 8 U.S.C. 1159, adjustment of refugees and asylees
- 8 CFR 204.5, employment-based petitions
- USCIS, Green card eligibility categories
- USCIS, Form G-1055 fee schedule
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part F, Chapter 5 (NIW)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; a partner-firm attorney confirms what applies to you before anything is filed.
