There are several main ways to get a green card (permanent residency) in the U.S., including through family sponsorship, employment, refugee or asylum status, the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery, or certain special programs like VAWA or U visas. Each path has its own eligibility requirements and process.

The main ways to get a green card include family sponsorship by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, employment-based immigration through a U.S. employer or by self-petition, refugee or asylum status after one year of being granted protection, winning the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, or qualifying through special programs such as VAWA, U visa, or Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). Each of these paths has its own eligibility requirements and application procedures.