Family

• Green cards are offered to family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Different circumstances, based on relationships and the sponsor's citizenship status, will determine how a green card is awarded to family members. Immediate relatives -- spouses, children and parents -- of U.S. citizens have priority and do not have to wait for a permanent resident visa to become available. Other family relationships have to wait for a visa number. To receive a green card for family the U.S. citizen must first file a Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130). After the petition is granted, the immigrant needs to file an Application to Register Permanent Residence (Form I-485).
  
  

Job

• The four ways to get a green card through work are job offer, investment which creates U.S. jobs, self-petition and special job categories. Job offers must be presented before the department issues a permanent resident visa. The sponsoring employer has to get a labor certification, and file an Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I-140).
  
  Entrepreneurs and investors who "create or preserve ten permanent full time jobs for qualified United States workers" are eligible to apply for a green card, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Applicants must file a Immigrant Petition for Alien Entepreneur (Form I-526).
  
  Self-petition green cards are available to exceptional people in the fields of business, science, education, art or sports. This requires Form I-140 and I-485. Certain jobs, like translators, military members, religious workers and others, can receive a green card. Each category for special jobs has a different filing procedure.
  
  

Refugee or Asylum

• Refugees and asylum seekers can qualify for green cards. Refugees are required to apply for permanent residence after living in the United States for one year -- Form I-485 changes their status to permanent residence. Those to whom the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services grants asylum statua can apply for a permanent residence after the one year anniversary of the granting. Unlike refugees, asylee are not required to get a green card.
  
  

Other Ways

• Although the primary routes to a green card are through a job offer or family member, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offers a number of alternative ways to gain permanent residence. These include an American Indian born in Canada, Cuban citizen, special juvenile immigrant, foreign diplomats, a victim of criminal activity or people trafficking. The USCIS provides special resident visas because of certain global circumstances like granting visas for Haitian refugees during the devastating 2010 earthquake. Most of the "other" categories require Form I-485.