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Through permanent residence status, the United States opens several options for anyone seeking to obtain a Green Card. Among them is a Special Immigrant Green Card category, which is available to special groups of people, depending on the type of qualification required. This article will give the details of exactly who may be qualified to apply for support under this particular type of Green Card, and what kind of applicant's basic requirements are necessary.
Special Immigrant Green Card Overview
The Special Immigrant Green Card in the US is crafted especially for those belonging to very distinct groups of persons who are able to contribute uniquely to the US or who have been going through specific hardships. Much different from the general ways of immigrating through family- or employment-based visa procedures, this type of Green Card entails special provisions with regard to certain situations.
Categories Eligible for a Special Immigrant Green Card:
1. Religious Workers
This category involves religious workers who have been employed in a religious occupation with a non-profit religious organization in the US for at least two years. This includes ministers, professionals in religious vocations, and other workers in the area of religion itself.
2. Special Immigrant Juveniles
This category will include children under 21 who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by their parents and who cannot reunify with their families in their country of origin. It seeks to provide permanent residence safety and stability within the US for such vulnerable minors.
3. Afghan and Iraqi Nationals
This Green Card is open for application by Afghan and Iraqi nationals serving as translators or interpreters either to the US government or its armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. Most of these individuals were to put themselves in great personal danger to assist US operations, so this pathway recognizes those contributions.
4. International Broadcasters
This involves staff of the US Agency for Global Media or its grantees that have served as broadcasters. This class characterizes how media players assist in representing US values and information abroad.
5. Panama Canal Zone Employees
This shall involve some former workers with the Panama Canal Zone or the US government in the Canal Zone. This includes retirees upon completion of years of service in operation and maintenance in this important area.
Below are the steps for applying for a Special Immigrant Green Card:
File a petition with USCIS.
Wait for the petition to be approved and a visa available.
Adjust status or consular processing.
Medical examination
Attend an interview
Get Green Card on approval.
Diversity Visa vs. Special Immigrant Green Card
Another way to obtain a Green Card into the USA is through the US Diversity Visa, otherwise known as the DV Lottery. It differs from a Special Immigrant Green Card in that it was implemented to promote the emigration of people from countries with low rates of immigration into the US. Every year, 50,000 visas are awarded to individuals from the eligible list based on a random drawing.
While the Diversity Visa does not indicate membership in any particular professional or social group, a Special Immigrant Green Card does apply to specific groups that have defined criteria for their inclusion. All these programs put forward the commitment of the US toward the diversity and inclusiveness of its immigration policy.
You can rely on Oasis Resource Management to help you realize your American dream. Contact us today so we can help you in taking the next step toward permanent residency in the US.