A green card grants US permanent residence. There are several ways to get one, through employment, investment, or family, plus non-immigrant visas that can convert later. Here is how the routes compare, with the official USCIS and State Department sources.
| Route | Basis | Green card |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 (priority workers) | Extraordinary ability, outstanding professors/researchers, multinational managers (EB-1C) | Direct |
| EB-2 (advanced degree) | Advanced degrees or exceptional ability; national interest waiver possible | Direct |
| EB-3 (skilled workers) | Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers with a job offer | Direct |
| EB-5 (investor) | $800k in a targeted employment area or $1.05m standard, creating 10 jobs | Direct |
| Family sponsorship | Immediate relatives and family preference categories of US citizens and residents | Direct |
| L-1 to EB-1C | Intracompany manager or executive transferring, then converting to EB-1C | Via transfer |
| E-2 (treaty investor) | Active investment from a treaty country; renewable but non-immigrant | Indirect |
General information, not legal advice. Eligibility, caps, and priority dates change; verify against the official sources below.
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The employment-based immigrant categories (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3), the EB-5 investor programme, and family sponsorship are immigrant routes that lead to permanent residence. The E-2 and L-1 are non-immigrant visas, though an L-1 manager can often convert to an EB-1C green card.
Yes. L-1A managers and executives frequently transition to the EB-1C green card category, which does not require labour certification. L-1B specialised-knowledge staff usually move through EB-2 or EB-3.
The US Department of State publishes a monthly visa bulletin showing which priority dates are current. Employment and family categories have annual and per-country caps, so applicants from high-demand countries can wait years for a green card.
Employment and family routes require no investment but depend on sponsorship and eligibility. The direct investment route is EB-5, from $800,000 in a targeted employment area. The E-2 is cheaper (from about $100,000) but does not itself grant permanent residence.