Welcome to Noozhawk Asks, a new feature in which you ask the questions, you help decide what Noozhawk investigates, and you work with us to find the answers.
This week’s question: How does someone legally immigrate to the United States? What are the procedures to immigrate legally? A special visa? A sponsor? Application?
— Michael Gartzke
There are a number of ways to immigrate to the United States or become a permanent resident, and they all require forms and applications.
Check out U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for details on the full array of immigration circumstances and procedures.
A green card, which establishes permanent residency, is most commonly applied for through one’s family, a job offer, or refugee or asylum status. All adult permanent residents have to carry one at all times.
There are also five employment-based immigrant visa categories for foreigners looking to live permanently in the United States to work, and who also “have the right combination of skills, education, and/or work experience,” according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
About 140,000 of those are available each year.
U.S. citizens can also apply to have a family member receive a green card or a fiancé receive a fiancé visa. Students looking to study in the United States full time can apply for their own visa.
Additionally, the United States takes in refugees through a long, complicated process.
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “refugee status or asylum may be granted to people who have been persecuted or fear they will be persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion.”
In fiscal year 2016, that translated to 84,994 refugees.
Immigrants can apply for citizenship after five years of permanent residency, or three years if he or she is married to a citizen.
Approximately 13.5 percent of the United States population is foreign born, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
In 2015, 1.38 million foreign-born people moved to the United States, with India, China and Mexico leading the way.
— Noozhawk staff writer Sam Goldman can be reached at sgoldman@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.