Permanent Residence Card Options
You can move from H1B status to permanent residence of the United States. Although not possible with all types of nonimmigrant visas, the H1B visa is a “double intention visa.”
For many categories of nonimmigrant visas, you have to provide proof to the consulate abroad that you intend to be nonimmigrant, which means that your stay in the United States will be for a temporary period. You have to prove that you have no intention of staying in the United States and that you are right to return back to your home country. You have to convince the consulate that you have no intention of creating a life in the United States.
As mentioned earlier, you can try to get permanent residence while in the United States with H1B status. You can get a green card through your family or through your employer’s sponsorship.
Permanent Residence Status – Permanent Residence based through Family
Bajo el estatus H1B, usted puede aplicar por una tarjeta de Residencia Permanente por medio de una relacion familiar con una persona que tiene Ciudadania Americana. Este proceso puede ocurrir cuando usted este en los Estados Unidos con estatus H1B sin que tenga efecto negativo a su etatus H1B. Usted puede adoptar este metodo si su esposo(a) tiene Ciudadania Americana, si un padre tiene Ciudadania Americana o si un hijo mayor de 21 años tiene Ciudadania Americana.
Estatus de Residencia Permanente – Residencia Permanente basada por medio de su Empleo
Para recibir una tarjeta de residencia bajo esta clasificacion, el empleador Estadounidense tiene que ofrecerle al empleado un trabajo permanente en los Estados Unidos. El empleador puede ser el mismo empleador que patrocino la visa H1B, pero no lo tiene que ser necesariamente. Como el proceso de la visa H1B, este proceso de la tarjeta de Residencia tambien requiere que el empleador presente una certificacion al Departamento de Labores antes de presentar una peticion con el USCIS.
The process of obtaining a Permanent Residence card through employment can be very long. As a result of the long processing times, workers who have the H1B visa are allowed to extend their status after the six years normally allowed, but only if they have reached a certain stage in the Permanent Resident card process.
There are three main steps in the Permanent Residency card process through employment:
- Labor Certificate
- Immigration Petition
- Application of Adjustment of Status (Application of the “Permanent Residence Card”)
You are eligible for an extension of H1B status beyond the six-year limit in increments of one year if you are the beneficiary of a Labor Certificate that has been pending for less than one year. If you are a beneficiary of the H1B visa and have an approved I-140 Immigrant Petition , but expect a visa number to be available before submitting the Status Adjustment, you can obtain an extension of H1B status beyond the limit of the six years in increments of three years.
Change from another Status to H1B Status
If a potential employee is already present in the United States, he / she may apply for H1B status without leaving the United States on the condition that he / she has entered the United States legally, never work in the United States illegally, and It is still with legal status.
The employer must submit a request for employment status and a petition with the USCIS. The H1B petition filed with the USCIS may request a “Change of Status” for the potential employee. Once this petition is approved, he / she will have to obtain an H1B Visa stamp at a consulate abroad before re-entering the United States with H1B status.
