What Is a Green Card USA, and How Do You Get One?

How do I get a green card in the USA?

You get a green card in the USA by qualifying under an immigration category and completing the process for your location. The first decision is the basis for eligibility; the second is whether to apply from inside the United States or through a consulate abroad.

USCIS lists family-based, employment-based, Diversity Visa, refugee and asylee, and other special immigrant categories. Family routes include immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and preference categories for certain relatives of citizens and permanent residents. Employment routes include immigrant worker categories EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3.

The employment-based EB-5 route has a substantial investment threshold: USCIS lists at least $1,050,000, or $800,000 for a targeted employment area or infrastructure project, plus creation of at least 10 qualifying full-time jobs. A Diversity Visa applicant must first be selected and meet program requirements; selection alone does not promise a visa.

Once the category is clear, choose the process that matches where you are applying:

USCIS explains that applicants in the country generally use adjustment of status, while applicants abroad generally use consular processing. A visa must generally be available before applying. Most applicants also need an immigration medical examination.

Practical first steps are to identify the category, confirm its requirements on USCIS’s eligibility page, and determine the correct process for your location. Then check whether a visa is available and gather the required forms and supporting documents. Those steps prevent a common planning error: treating the green card as one application with one route.

How long is a green card valid, and what happens when it expires?

A green card’s physical validity period and a person’s permanent-resident status are different things. An expired card does not, by itself, mean the holder has lost permanent-resident status.

For a standard card renewal or replacement, USCIS says to file Form I-90 if the card has expired or will expire within six months. For a renewal, the Form I-90 receipt notice together with the expired card provides evidence of lawful permanent-resident status for 36 months from the card’s expiration date.

Conditional permanent residents follow a different path. USCIS says those whose cards are expiring generally must file Form I-751 to remove conditions rather than using Form I-90 to renew their status. Check which type of card and status applies before filing; the form is determined by the immigration situation, not only by the printed expiration date.

Renewing the document does not settle every question about maintaining residence. USCIS says permanent-resident status continues until naturalization or until the person loses or abandons it. Extended time abroad is assessed in context, including the reason for the absence, its planned length, and events during the trip. USCIS names moving abroad to live permanently and declaring oneself a nonimmigrant on U.S. tax returns as potential indicators of abandonment.

How many years does it take to get a green card in the USA?

There is no single number of years that applies to every green card case. Timing depends on the eligibility category, whether a visa number is limited, the applicant’s priority date, and the processing steps that follow.

Some categories have unlimited visa availability; others are numerically limited. In categories with a waiting line, a priority date helps determine when a visa becomes available. The Department of State’s monthly Visa Bulletin publishes Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for family-sponsored and employment-based categories.

To make a case-specific estimate, match the category and priority date to the relevant country and preference line in the current bulletin. Compare the date shown there with the applicant’s priority date, then review earlier bulletins to see how the cut-off has moved. This provides a view of visa availability, not a guaranteed finish date.

After that, check USCIS processing-time resources for the relevant application or petition. Keep the two clocks separate: a visa-number wait and agency processing are distinct parts of the path. Applicants pursuing a Diversity Visa have a different deadline: the Department of State says DV-2026 cases must be completed by September 30 of the fiscal year, and visas cannot carry over to the next fiscal year.

What does a U.S. green card cost, including medical and filing fees?

The cost of a U.S. green card depends on the route and application steps, so build a budget from the fees that apply to the case rather than relying on one universal price. Government filing and visa fees are only part of the likely expenses.

The Department of State lists immigrant visa application processing fees of $325 per person for immediate-relative and family-preference cases, $345 per person for employment-based cases, and $205 per person for certain other immigrant visa applications, including certain special immigrant cases. It also lists a $120 Affidavit of Support review fee when that review is conducted domestically. Fees can change.

USCIS’s fee schedule lists a $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee for people immigrating as lawful permanent residents, with specified exemptions. It lists Form I-90 at $415 online or $465 on paper, subject to listed exemptions. These are different charges for different steps; the I-90 fee applies to replacing a card, not as a universal initial application fee.

Use this cost-planning checklist:

• Government fees: identify the exact filing or visa fees for the chosen category and process.
• Medical exam: most green card applicants need an immigration medical examination; confirm the applicable cost with the provider handling it.
• Documents: budget for obtaining required records and any needed translations or copies; the provided fee schedules do not set one total for these expenses.
• Optional legal help: an attorney’s fee is separate from government charges; the sources here do not specify a standard amount.

Diversity Visa registration itself is free, according to the Department of State’s DV-2026 instructions. Applicants selected who proceed must pay applicable visa fees. Before filing any application, check the current official fee schedule. USCIS warns that an incorrect fee can lead to rejection.