Country

Pathways to American Residency and Citizenship

United States

The United States offers a wide range of routes to a green card — through employment, family, investment, extraordinary ability, and the diversity visa lottery — as well as citizenship for people born to a U.S. parent. This guide brings the country's main residency and citizenship routes together and links to a full breakdown of each.

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Ways to qualify

Career & business

For people with a job offer, in-demand skills, or a business to build. Most of these routes lead to settlement, and in time to citizenship.

U.S. EB-2 NIW The EB-2 National Interest Waiver is a green card route for people with an advanced degree or exceptional ability whose proposed work has broader… residency U.S. EB-1 EB-1 is a permanent-residence route for people with extraordinary ability, outstanding professors or researchers, and certain multinational executives… residency U.S. L-1 Transfer The L-1 route is for employees being transferred to a U.S. office of the same company group. It generally requires a qualifying relationship between… residency U.S. O-1 The O-1 is for people with strong national or international recognition in fields such as sciences, education, business, athletics, arts, film, or… residency U.S. TN Professional TN status is for Canadian and Mexican citizens with a prearranged U.S. job in a listed USMCA professional occupation. It generally requires Canadian… residency U.S. Permanent Worker Green Card This route covers employer-sponsored U.S. green cards for many EB-2 and EB-3 workers, including advanced-degree professionals, exceptional-ability… residency U.S. H-1B The H-1B is for people with a U.S. employer offer in a specialty occupation that normally requires a directly related bachelor's degree or higher.… residency U.S. E-3 The E-3 is a U.S. specialty-occupation work route for Australian nationals with a qualifying U.S. job, the right credentials, and an approved Labor… residency U.S. H-1B1 The H-1B1 is a U.S. specialty-occupation work route for nationals of Chile and Singapore with qualifying U.S. professional jobs. residency U.S. E-1 Treaty Trader The E-1 treaty trader route is for certain treaty-country nationals connected to substantial trade principally between the United States and the… residency U.S. EB-4 Religious Worker The EB-4 religious worker route is a green card path for certain ministers and qualifying religious workers with a U.S. religious organization… residency U.S. R-1 Religious Worker The R-1 route is for certain religious workers coming temporarily to work for a qualifying U.S. religious organization. residency U.S. H-2 Temporary Worker The H-2A and H-2B routes are for temporary or seasonal U.S. jobs in agriculture or non-agricultural work. They are employer-driven and limited to… residency

Investment

For people who can qualify through a qualifying investment, real estate, or business funds rather than a job or family tie.

U.S. E-2 Investor The E-2 is a temporary U.S. route for nationals of treaty countries who invest a substantial amount of capital in a real, active U.S. business. It… residency U.S. EB-5 Investor EB-5 is a green card route for investors who place a large qualifying investment into a U.S. commercial enterprise and plan to create at least 10… residency

Family

For joining a partner, parent, or child who already lives there — or claiming citizenship through marriage.

U.S. Immediate Relative Green Card This green card route is for the spouse, unmarried child under 21, or parent of an adult U.S. citizen. It generally requires a qualifying family… residency U.S. Spouse Naturalization Some lawful permanent residents married to U.S. citizens can apply for naturalization after 3 years instead of the ordinary 5-year period. citizenship U.S. Fiancé(e) Visa The K-1 visa is for a foreign fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen who plans to enter the United States, marry within 90 days, and then apply for permanent… residency U.S. Family Preference Green Card This green card route is for certain family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who do not fit the immediate-relative categories.… residency

Ancestry & heritage

A parent, grandparent, or birth in the country can make you a citizen already — or let you claim it, often without relocating.

U.S. Citizenship by Birth Most people born in the United States are U.S. citizens from birth. The main exception is being born to a parent who was not subject to U.S.… citizenship U.S. Citizenship — Parent This pathway is for people born outside the United States who may have been U.S. citizens from birth through a U.S. citizen parent. It generally… citizenship U.S. Child Citizenship After Birth Some people born outside the United States became U.S. citizens after birth as children when they lived in the United States as lawful permanent… citizenship

Study

Routes to study there, and often to stay on and work after you graduate.

U.S. Student Visa The F-1 and M-1 student visa routes are for people accepted by approved U.S. schools. They are temporary study routes, but F-1 study can sometimes… residency U.S. J-1 Exchange Visitor The J-1 route is for people accepted into approved U.S. exchange visitor programs, including interns, trainees, scholars, teachers, au pairs, and… residency

Citizenship by residence

Once you've lived there long enough and settled, you can often apply to become a citizen.

U.S. Naturalization U.S. naturalization is the ordinary citizenship route for lawful permanent residents who have enough residence, physical presence, good moral… citizenship U.S. Military Naturalization Some current and former members of the U.S. armed forces can qualify for special naturalization rules based on military service. citizenship

Other routes

Nationality-specific schemes and special cases.

U.S. Cuban Adjustment The Cuban Adjustment Act can allow certain Cuban natives or citizens, and some qualifying family members, to apply for a U.S. green card after being… residency U.S. Diversity Visa The Diversity Visa is a green card route for people selected through the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Being from an eligible country is only… residency U.S. Asylum U.S. asylum is a protection route for people already in the United States, or arriving at the border, who fear persecution in their home country for a… residency U.S. TPS Temporary Protected Status can protect certain nationals of designated countries who are already in the United States and meet the registration,… residency U.S. VAWA Self-Petition VAWA self-petitioning can help certain abused spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents seek immigration… residency U.S. T Visa The T visa is a protection route for certain survivors of severe human trafficking who are in the United States because of trafficking and meet… residency U.S. U Visa The U visa is a protection route for certain victims of qualifying crimes who suffered substantial harm and were helpful, are being helpful, or are… residency U.S. SIJ Green Card Special Immigrant Juvenile classification can lead to a green card for certain young people in the United States who have a qualifying state-court… residency U.S. Refugee Resettlement U.S. refugee resettlement is for people outside the United States who are referred into the U.S. refugee admissions process and meet refugee,… residency