Immigrants can lawfully live in the United States in a number of different circumstances. People can enter the country with visas or when granted refugee status. Some people with close family relationships to citizens or permanent residents can enter the country with a green card.
Immigrants who enter the country legally can remain in the country thanks to visas, temporary protected status, asylum or permanent residence. Some people only intend to remain in the United States temporarily. However, those who enter the country to reconnect with family or improve their lives may want to stay indefinitely.
A green card or permanent resident card allows an immigrant to remain in the United States for as long as they continue to qualify. Visa holders have to adjust their status to become lawful permanent residents with green cards. What occurs during adjustment of status?
Immigrants petition for their green cards
Adjustment of status is not an automatic process. Immigrants need to submit specific paperwork to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). They must pay a fee and undergo a background check. The USCIS then determines if the immigrant is potentially eligible for a green card.
An interview might be necessary
In some cases, immigrants hoping to adjust their status may need to answer questions about their intentions or recent travel. The USCIS may request an interview as part of the status adjustment process. Depending on the outcome of the interview, the immigrant may need to submit supplementary evidence to the USCIS.
Approval comes in the mail
It can take weeks for the USCIS to reach a determination about whether an individual immigrant is eligible for a green card. Typically, the immigrant receives notice in the mail alerting them as to whether they qualified for a green card or not. Approval notices often come in the mail weeks before the green card itself arrives.
Regular renewals are necessary
Immigrants who obtain green cards have to renew them every 10 years in most cases. Those with conditional green cards secured through marriage must apply to remove their conditional status in the 90 days before their two-year green card expires.
Knowing what happens when applying for a green card can help immigrants navigate the process successfully. Those seeking to adjust their status or pursue other immigration opportunities often require support while executing paperwork and communicating with the USCIS, and that’s okay.