How to immigrate to the United States

1. Several ways to immigrate to the United States

Although there is a long waiting list for immigrating to the United States, the United States’ generous benefits and free and democratic environment will also attract many overseas people to choose the right one. Immigration method, land in this country!

1. Employer-sponsored immigration

The advantages of U.S. EB-3 employer-sponsored immigration, such as low threshold and multiple project types, have attracted the attention of many overseas people. Overseas individuals who intend to immigrate to the United States can choose any one of skilled workers (EB-3 Skilled Workers), professionals (EB-3 Professionals), and unskilled workers (EB-3 Unskilled Workers) according to their own conditions. Submit immigration application materials, wait for the immigration schedule, land in the United States, and obtain a green card.

2. Employment Immigration

US EB-1 generally has three categories: EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-1C depending on the applicant’s category. Applicants apply for EB-1 employment immigration, and foreign citizens can obtain immigrant visas if a U.S. employer is willing to sponsor them to obtain a green card and provide them with a job in the United States. They can apply for an overseas worker petition by filing Form I-140. Generally, EB-1 employment immigration is suitable for applying for talents in related fields, executives of multinational companies, etc.

3. Investment immigration

Overseas investors can make a business investment of US$1,000,000 in the United States, or invest US$500,000 in a place or rural area with high unemployment rate in the United States. And U.S. workers can obtain a green card by creating or retaining at least 10 permanent, full-time jobs. They can submit Form I-526, submit the immigration application for overseas entrepreneurs, apply for a visa, and directly obtain a green card without any employer sponsorship.

4. Relative Reunion Immigration

Relative reunification immigration is the most common immigration route in the United States. U.S. citizens can sponsor their husbands or wives, parents, children, brothers and sisters. Green card holders can only sponsor their husband or wife and unmarried children under the age of 21. They cannot sponsor their parents, brothers or sisters. U.S. citizen husbands, wives, parents, and children are the sponsor’s immediate family members. Immediate family members can obtain immigrant visas immediately without having to wait on a wait list. Once their sponsor's application is approved, they can immediately apply for an immigrant visa. This is because the United States has no limit on the number of visas granted to immediate family members.

People choose different immigration methods according to their own conditions. For example, multinational company executives can choose EB-1 employment immigration, and overseas investors can choose investment immigration.

2. The main application process for a U.S. green card

For overseas people to apply for a U.S. green card, they mainly go through the process of submitting an application, interviewing, and sending the I-864 form.

1. Submit an application

After an overseas person submits an immigration application, the Immigration Bureau will review the petition to determine whether the correct application fee has been paid and whether the application information is accurate. If the application information is complete, USCIS will send an application receipt notification to the applicant to let them know that USCIS will begin the process of deciding whether to approve the application. If the application information is incomplete for any reason, the Immigration Service will return it to the applicant.

2. Send Form I-864

If USCIS approves the petition, it will send a request to send it to the National Visa Center (NVC). At this time, immigrant visa pre-processing. The National Visa Center will provide foreigners who need a visa with a case number and a bill for the application fee they need to pay in order to apply for the visa. Applicants also need to send Form I-864, which needs to be completed by their employer, or they promise to provide assistance to their relative while in the United States. If the NVC requires additional documentation, it will contact the visa applicant and their employer.

3. Immigrant visa interview

After submitting the application, reviewing materials, and sending a series of forms, the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will arrange an immigrant visa interview for the applicant. The notice for this interview will tell the applicant what physical examinations they need to take, and they need to bring their passport, birth certificate and two identical passport-style photos. If an overseas person is a relative reunification immigrant, he or she needs to bring other documents, such as a marriage certificate, a notarized parent-child relationship, etc. Consular officers will interview the applicant and review relevant documents. The visa interview will help the consular officer determine whether the applicant is eligible for an immigrant visa. If you are eligible to immigrate to the United States, a consular officer will grant you a visa.

For applying for EB-1 and EB-3 immigration pathways, overseas people will still have to wait for a waiting list. This process cycle may be the longest in the U.S. immigration process.