One of the greatest dreams of any man is to start anew in a foreign country. Yes, you do love to stay in your home country but being independent in a different one is something that most of us aim for. If only given a chance, we know that more people will indulge in the offer.
As for you who have a visa already, if you have already grown fond of the country, you will start to wonder how to stay forever. Of course, who would not olive the United States of America. Everything will hook your heart, from the scenery to the food to the culture.
According to Ashoori law, it is possible to change your L1 visa to a green card status. In that sense, your American dream is finally getting together. Read through this article to know what you need to do to achieve the most coveted green card.
How to qualify for the green card if you are an L1 visa holder
The L1 visa is classified as a non-immigrant visa. This only means that the length of your stay in the United States of America is limited only. To achieve a green card, you have two options: status adjustment or applying for an immigrant visa in the USA.
Status Adjustment
Status adjustment is the process of changing your visa status from non-immigrant to immigrant status. One of the main requirements is for you to be physically present in the United States of America by the time that you are applying for the status change.
You are not allowed to go out of the country during the process. Under an L1 visa, you can travel in and out of the United States legally. But if you are already in the process of adjusting your status, you should forget that you still have the privilege to go out of the country.
Applying for Immigrant Visa
You can do this in the United States of America. The process is called Visa Processing, Consular Processing, or Immigrant Visa Processing. Here are the following options that you can choose from:
EB1C
This visa is a type of immigrant visa awarded to managers and executives of a multinational company. If you would closely notice, it is pretty similar to the L1 access. For you to qualify for the EB1C green card, you need to comply with the following:
- It would be best to be employed as a manager or executive in a multinational company for a year within the three years before your application.
- The employer must be a branch, affiliate, parent, or subsidiary of a USA company.
- The USA company must be in business for at least a year.
Work Sponsorship
To attain this, your employer must offer the job to you via a green card. Your employer must also secure a Labor Certificate for you. The labor Certificate is a certification that proves that your employer tried and attempted to look for any US citizen for the position but found none. That is why they resulted in hiring you instead.
EB5
Now this one is quite expensive. The EB5 is an investment-based immigrant visa. It means that you should invest a certain amount in a US business. The amount should be a minimum of $1.8 million, but it can be lower to $900,000 in some economically depressed areas.
Additionally, you must hire ten full-time employees that are US citizens.
Marriage
Now, if you are fond of movies, it typically shows that one has to marry a US citizen or a green card holder to attain a green card, which is correct. But the plot in the movies always shows that they do it for convenience and then divorce after a year. But be mindful in doing this type of stunt as the immigration office, and the USCIS has been very strict about this matter.
Before you can do marriage, they provide a series of investigations if it is not staged. Once approved, then you can go ahead and have your green card.
Conclusion
After reading the options, we hope it enlightens you on which suits your preferences. Of course, there will be an option that is much easier on your part. If there is anything that you would like to share based on your experiences in doing this matter, please don’t hesitate to share. Let us create a community of helpful visa applicants.
