What are Popular Ways for Indians to Get Green Cards in USA: Green Card Eligibility Categories for Indians

Green Card through Family

An Indian citizen must be sponsored by an immediate relative in the US to secure a Green Card in this category. The immediate relative should be 21 years old or older, holding US citizenship or lawful permanent residency. Only the spouse, parents and unmarried children (under 21 years) of a US citizen/a legal permanent resident can apply for a family-based Green Card. Statically, their applications are processed faster, to say in a year or two. There is no cap on the number of beneficiaries in this category.

Only a US citizen, not a Green Card holder, can sponsor his/her sibling and fiancé from India for lawful permanent residency in America. If the fiancé has a child from the previous marriage, the child can also be sponsored for this immigrant visa given the prospects of genuine marriage with the citizen sponsor. A limited number of beneficiaries can go this way that often spans over years.

Green Card through Investment

The EB5 Investor Program is one of the popular ways to get legal permanent residency in the United States. Introduced in 1990 to boost the US economy and generate employment for American citizens, the EB-5 visa offers the fastest path for foreign investors, along with their spouses and unmarried children under 21, to secure a Green Card. If you invest $80,000 in an infrastructure project approved by USCIS or $1050,000 in a US-based commercial enterprise with at least 10 permanent positions for US workers, your Green Card is guaranteed within months.

Green Card through Inter-Corporate Transfer

Unlike H1B visa workers, an inter-company transferee, to say from India to USA, can get a Green Card without any labor certification. As and when required, American MNCs transfer highly skilled employees from India to any of their offices in the US for a managerial or executive role. The employer must be located in the US for 1 year or more. Among the pathways to lawful permanent residency in the US, the EB-1C visa is next to the EB-5 visa in terms of ease of securing a Green Card.

Green Card through Extraordinary Abilities and Achievements

Foreign nationals with extraordinary talent could be eligible for a Green Card, provided they have earned international awards or acclaims, such as Oscar, Pulitzer, Grammy, Emmy, Olympic medals. The employment-based EB-1A visa is the most esteemed and streamlined route to lawful permanent residency in the US for national or international achievers in the sciences, arts, education, business, and sports. Colloquially known as ‘Einstein Visa’, the Eb-1A visa helps the US government attract top-performing experts and distinguished professionals to strengthen the country’s competitive edge with their innovation and expertise. Neither employment sponsorship nor labor certification is required.