Green Cards

A green card makes you a lawful permanent resident of the United States. You can live and work here permanently, travel abroad and return, sponsor certain relatives, and later apply for citizenship. There are many paths to a green card, and the right one depends on your family, your work, your history and whether you are inside or outside the country. Our office helps individuals and families in Atlanta, Norcross and across Georgia choose a path and see it through.

The main paths to a green card

Family-based green cards

U.S. citizens can petition for their spouses, unmarried children under 21 and parents (if the citizen is at least 21). These “immediate relatives” are not subject to annual limits, so a visa number is available as soon as the petition is approved. Other relatives fall into preference categories with annual limits and waiting lines:

• F1: unmarried sons and daughters (21 or older) of U.S. citizens
• F2A: spouses and unmarried children under 21 of permanent residents
• F2B: unmarried sons and daughters (21 or older) of permanent residents
• F3: married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
• F4: brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens

The process usually starts with Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The petitioner must also sign an affidavit of support (Form I-864) promising to support the immigrant financially.

Employment-based green cards

Employment categories range from EB-1 (people with extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers and certain multinational executives) to EB-2 (advanced-degree professionals and people with exceptional ability, including national interest waiver cases), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), EB-4 (special immigrants such as religious workers) and EB-5 (investors). Many employment cases first require a labor certification (PERM) from the U.S. Department of Labor. The employer then files Form I-140.

Humanitarian and other paths

• Asylees and refugees, generally after one year in that status
• Abused spouses, children and parents who qualify to self-petition under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
• Special Immigrant Juveniles
• U visa and T visa holders, after three years in status
• Diversity Visa lottery winners
• People granted cancellation of removal by an immigration judge

Waiting lines and the Visa Bulletin

For preference categories, your place in line is your priority date, usually the date the petition was filed. Each month the U.S. Department of State publishes a Visa Bulletin with the dates that are current for each category and country. Waits range from a few months to many years. Applicants from countries with high demand, such as Mexico, India, China and the Philippines, often wait longer. The bulletin has two charts. USCIS announces each month which chart applicants in the United States may use to file.

Children who turn 21 during the process may lose their place as a “child.” The Child Status Protection Act can protect some of them by subtracting the time the petition was pending from their age. USCIS revised how it applies those age rules in August 2025. If a child in your case is close to 21, ask about it early.

Inside or outside the United States

Once a visa is available, the green card is finished in one of two ways:

• Adjustment of status with USCIS, if you are in the United States and eligible. See our adjustment of status page.
• Consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. See our immigrant visa page.

The choice is not always yours. People who entered without inspection or who worked without permission may not qualify to adjust and may face bars to returning if they leave. Those bars can sometimes be waived, but the order of steps matters.

Admissibility: the hurdle every applicant must clear

Qualifying for a category is only half the case. Every applicant must also be “admissible,” meaning no ground of inadmissibility in INA 212 applies, or a waiver is granted. Common issues include:

• Unlawful presence and the three- and ten-year bars
• Criminal history, including crimes involving moral turpitude and controlled substance offenses
• Misrepresentation to obtain a visa or other benefit
• Prior removal orders
• Health grounds, reviewed through a medical exam on Form I-693 or by a panel physician abroad
• Public charge, the likelihood of depending on government support

The public charge rules changed in 2026. DHS rescinded its 2022 rule and issued a new final rule in July 2026, and USCIS guidance under it took effect September 18, 2026. By law, officers weigh your age, health, family status, assets, resources, financial status, education and skills, along with the sponsor’s affidavit of support. We review this evidence closely before filing.

Keeping your green card once you have it

• Carry proof of status and renew a 10-year card with Form I-90 before it expires.
• Long trips abroad can lead to a finding that you abandoned your residence. For trips of a year or more, apply for a reentry permit before you leave.
• Report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days.
• Certain criminal convictions can make a permanent resident deportable. Talk to an immigration lawyer before you plead guilty to any charge.
• Conditional residents must file to remove conditions before the two-year card expires.

Hypothetical: A U.S. citizen in Norcross wants to sponsor his married sister in Nigeria and his wife, who is visiting on a tourist visa. His wife is an immediate relative. She may be able to adjust status here if she entered lawfully and her intent at entry is not an issue. His sister falls into the F4 category, which has a wait of many years. Each case takes its own petition and its own strategy.

Read the U.S. Department of State’s Visa Bulletin to check current dates. You can also learn about our Atlanta immigration lawyer services and our help with immigration waivers.

This page reflects agency guidance as of November 2026. Rules and procedures change, so confirm current requirements before you file.

How our office can help

If you are looking for a green card lawyer in Atlanta, our office can identify every path you may qualify for, prepare the petition and green card application, review admissibility and public charge issues before you file, prepare you for the interview, and plan around waiting times and family members who may age out.

Call us today, at (770) 840-9098 to speak with an attorney.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Results may vary depending on the specific facts and circumstances of your case.