Living and working in the United States is the lifetime dream of millions of individuals spread around the globe. Year after year, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives hundreds of thousands of visa applications.
While some applicants manage to make it through the process to obtain permanent residency (PR) on American soil, some fall on the way due to ineligibility, procedural mistakes, and other issues.
In this article, you will discover whether there is an “easier” path to obtain permanent residency (PR) in the United States.
Is There an Easy Way to Get Permanent Residency in the United States? – A Realistic Overview
Commonly, the ideal visa combination for foreigners trying to obtain permanent residency in the United States would be the option with the fastest processing time and the least demanding eligibility requirements.
However, there is no general answer that encompasses the circumstances of all applicants. Each applicant is different, so immigration eligibility and visa processing times vary according to each one’s personal situation.
Still, considering the statistics, it is possible to evaluate the visa categories in which eligible individuals tend to receive a greater percentage of approval. These categories include:
- Foreign individuals with family relationships in the US
- Foreign individuals who receive job offers from US employers
- Foreign individuals with extraordinary skills or exceptional talent
- Foreign individuals selected on the Diversity Visa Lottery
What is the Easiest Way to Get PR in USA? – Feasible Options Only
Family-Sponsored Visa Categories
In terms of processing time, the fastest way to qualify for permanent residency in the United States is to have close relatives who are either US citizens or permanent residents. As provided by the USCIS, there are distinct preference categories of family-sponsored visas, which are:
- Family first preference (F1 visa) – unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens
- Family second preference (F2 visa) – spouses and children of permanent residents, or unmarried children (age 21 or over) of permanent residents
- Family third preference (F3 visa) – Married children of US citizens
- Family fourth preference (F4 visa) – Siblings of US citizens aged 18 or over
Comparing these different categories, the closest the family relationship, the faster the processing time. Consequently, spouses and unmarried children (under 21) of US permanent residents typically have the shortest waits.
Still, the processing time depends on the demand for a specific category, and how many people applied for the visa before you, so it may vary seasonally.
Employment-Based Visa Categories
Similarly, the USCIS divides the employment-based visa categories into different preferences. Typically, employers with a job offer sponsored by a US employer and employers with exceptional skills experience more expedited processing time.
Nonetheless, the competition to obtain employment-based visas is brutal (depending on the category), and these categories have the most demanding eligibility requirements for applicants.
An average application for an employment-based visa requires several documents to prove the applicant’s professional skills, education, and experience. The employment-based category also has a “job creation visa” for foreign investors.
This way, an eligible applicant may obtain permanent residency in the United States upon investing $1 million in a US-based commercial enterprise (or $500,000 in a Targeted Employment Area) to create ten full-time jobs for qualified US citizens.
What is the Easiest Way to Get PR in USA? – Work with an Expert Immigration Attorney in Florida
Obtaining permanent residency in the United States may be a daunting task when working your way throughout the process alone. Increase your success chances by working with an expert immigration attorney.
Call Attorney Romy B. Jurado today at (305) 921-0976 or email [email protected] to schedule a consultation.
