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Learn what it takes to get a Green Card in 2025. Explore employment-based and family-based pathways, plus how long the process takes and what to expect.
David A. Keller, Esq.
A Green Card allows noncitizens to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely. It is also known as a Permanent Resident Card. Applying for a Green Card can take many years, but the rewards are peace of mind and long-term stability.
To get there, you must know which forms to file, when to submit, and what rights you have while USCIS reviews your application. Understanding this can help you avoid delays and move closer to permanent residency with confidence.
From getting sponsored to checking your priority date to filing your final application, we’ll explain what you can expect from the Green Card application process.
🧑‍⚖️ Clear guidance, without the legal jargon. This article is informed and reviewed by Manifest Law’s experienced immigration attorneys—and written to make the law make sense. Because you deserve to understand the system, not fight it. Check out our editorial policy for more info: https://manifestlaw.com/editorial-policy
A Green Card, also known as a permanent residence card, grants permanent residency in the United States. Green Card holders can renew their status indefinitely, travel without restrictions, and obtain permanent work authorization. Most Green Card holders can also apply to become U.S. citizens after 3-5 years through naturalization: https://manifestlaw.com/blog/guide-to-the-naturalization-process/
There are several pathways to obtaining a Green Card. Some examples include H-1B, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW holders.
You may also qualify for a Green Card if you are an immediate family member of a U.S. citizen. Other relatives, such as siblings of current permanent residents, may request permanent residency.
Other people that may qualify for a green card include:
| ➡️ On the O-1 visa? You cannot apply for a Green Card right after getting O-1 status. If you’re interested in applying for permanent residency but currently hold a nonimmigrant work visa such as an O-1, talk to an immigration attorney first. They can guide you on possible paths to applying for a Green Card. |
Processing times for green cards depend on how you qualify. In most cases, immediate family members of U.S. citizens do not wait over a year to obtain their status. On the other hand, those who apply for a Green Card through their employer experience longer wait times, especially in backlogged categories like EB-2 and EB-3.
You can learn more about current USCIS processing times here: https://manifestlaw.com/immigration/resources/uscis-processing-times
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The Green Card process can be overwhelming, and everyone’s journey may look a little different. However, most people will go through the following steps to receive their Green Card and permanent resident status in the U.S.:
Someone, usually called the petitioner or sponsor, needs to file an immigration petition with USCIS on behalf of the person who is seeking a Green Card. Having an approved petition doesn’t grant anyone legal residence. The petition itself is only a first step. Visa sponsorship lays the groundwork to get to an actual Green Card application.
The two most common immigration petitions are:
Use Form I-130 if you are trying to sponsor a family member or one of your relatives to come live in the U.S. and apply for permanent residence. This form establishes with USCIS that you have a legitimate relationship to an eligible relative, so that they can then start a Green Card application.
You, as the petitioner or sponsor, are the one who needs to complete and file Form I-130 with USCIS. You can also only file Form I-130 if you are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or U.S. national.
Form I-140 is used to petition for a Green Card based on employment. Most of the time, a U.S. employer files it on behalf of a worker they want to sponsor for a permanent job. The form asks which employment-based category the worker is applying under—such as someone with extraordinary ability, an advanced degree, or a role that benefits the U.S.
In many cases, the employer must first get approval from the Department of Labor through a process called PERM, which can take over a year. Once approved, the employer has 180 days to file the I-140.
Some highly accomplished individuals—like researchers, professors, or others with major achievements—may not need a PERM and can even file the I-140 themselves if they qualify to self-petition under categories like EB-1A or EB-2 NIW.
Another option for getting a Green Card is to file as an investor, under the EB-5 visa category. To qualify, you’ll need to demonstrate that you can invest at least $1.8 million in a new commercial enterprise (NCE), but you can also qualify by investing at least $900,000 in a business in a rural area or one experiencing high levels of unemployment (a targeted employment area, or TEA).
Instead of Form I-140, investors need to file Form I-526 to begin the process.
After receiving an approved immigration petition, you can’t file an actual application until there is a visa available in your Green Card category. The date when your petition was filed is known as your priority date. If you are applying for a Green Card through PERM, your priority date is generally established on the date your labor certification is filed with the Department of Labor.
You can’t receive your Green Card until your priority date is current, and it could take a long time. Especially for employment-based visas, you may have to wait months or even years until your priority date becomes current, meaning your spot in the line is available for a visa.
The U.S. Department of State sets priority dates based on the type of visa and the country of birth of the person trying to immigrate:
Once you have an approved immigration petition and a current priority date, you can apply for a Green Card. There are two ways to file, based on whether or not you’re living in the U.S. If you are living in the U.S., your application is done by filing an adjustment of status using Form I-485. If you are living abroad, then you will go through consular processing.
If you already live in the United States, complete and file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. USCIS will then mail you a notice for an appointment to submit fingerprints, take a photo, and give a signature to affirm that everything in your application was accurate. USCIS will also conduct background and security checks.
In some cases, USCIS may also schedule an interview with you to confirm all the details of your application. If your sponsor was a family member, they may need to join you for the Green Card interview.
After all this, you’ll then need to wait for a decision from USCIS; historically, the median processing time for I-485 petitions has been about six months to over a year. If your I-485 is approved, your physical Green Card should arrive in the mail shortly after.
If you’re applying for a Green Card from outside of the United States, you will need to go through consular processing.
After your Form I-130 or Form I-140 is approved, USCIS will send the petition to the National Visa Center (NVC), which is part of the Department of State. NVC will notify you of the filing fees you need to pay and you will need to submit your Green Card application, Form DS-260.
Once your form I-130 or I-140 is approved, you generally have one year to begin the consular processing stage and schedule your interview. Otherwise, you will likely need to re-start the process.
There are a handful of additional documents you’ll need to share with NVC, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, and identity documents of your visa sponsor. Then NVC will schedule an interview for you at a U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country.
At the interview, you will need to answer questions about your background and anything the interviewer needs to confirm your Green Card eligibility.
If you are approved, an immigrant visa stamp will be placed in your passport and you will be able to receive your Green Card after paying your visa fees.
You’ve done the research. Now it’s time for real answers and hands-on guidance. At Manifest, our attorneys work with extraordinary individuals like you to build strong, strategic immigration petitions—without hourly fees, confusion, or delay.
| 👉 Request a consultation with Manifest Law’s experienced immigration lawyers now: https://manifestlaw.com/ |
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