How do I come to the United States as an immigrant?

Immigration for the purpose of family reunification

U.S. citizens and permanent residents may petition the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for immigrant visas for their relatives. U.S. citizens may petition for their spouses, parents, children, and siblings. Lawful permanent residents may petition for immigrant visas for their spouses and unmarried minor children. The number of legal permanent residents is limited by an annual quota and cannot exceed 480,000 per year.

Working Immigration

A U.S. employer who is interested in hiring a foreign worker with special skills can petition the Citizenship and Immigration Services for an immigrant work visa that will enable the worker to live and work permanently in the United States (Green Card). However, in order to protect the labor rights of Americans, the employer must obtain permission from the USCIS to hire the alien worker. In order to do so, the employer must prove that the U.S. able-bodied population is not available and qualified to perform the job for which the alien is being asked and is willing to work under the proposed terms and conditions. In addition, the U.S. employer must prove that the hiring of the alien will not result in a worsening of the working conditions of U.S. workers or a reduction in wages. There are also other immigration categories for those who can apply on their own (without an offer of employment), such as investors, persons of extraordinary ability or special talents that are in the interest of the United States government.

Refugees

A person who is persecuted in his or her home country because of his or her membership in a particular racial, ethnic, or religious group, social group, or political association, may apply to U.S. immigration authorities for asylum in the United States. In order to obtain refugee status, the person must present credible evidence that he or she is persecuted or has reason to fear such persecution. In some exceptional cases, refugees may apply for asylum while in their home country (such as Cuba, Vietnam, or the former Soviet Union). If recognized as a refugee, the alien is granted a visa and comes to the United States, where he or she is supported under the current “refugee resettlement program.
A foreign national in the U.S. may apply for asylum if he or she has reasonable grounds to fear persecution by the state if returned to his or her home country. In both cases, a credible case that the threat of persecution or persecution is real must be made in order to qualify for refugee status. A foreign national is recognized as a refugee and is entitled to protection from the United States as soon as he or she is officially recognized as a refugee. In most cases, an alien has the right to apply for refugee status within one year of arriving in the United States. After one year from obtaining this status, the refugee may apply to Citizenship and Immigration Services for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident, which entitles the refugee to work in the United States and to return to the United States unimpeded after a short period of absence.