The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has clarified which groups of people qualify to apply for a green card under the special immigrant category, releasing details of five distinct eligibility groups. The information, published on the official USCIS website, outlines the specific conditions each applicant must meet to be considered under this immigration pathway.
Having a Green Card (officially known as a Permanent Resident Card) allows you to live and work permanently in the United States. The steps you must take to apply for a Green Card will vary depending on your individual situation. USCIS notes that each category carries its own set of conditions, and applicants are advised to review the full eligibility requirements before submitting a petition.
1. US Green Card for Religious Workers
The first group covers members of a recognised religious denomination who intend to work in the United States for a nonprofit religious organisation. To qualify, the individual must be coming to the country specifically to carry out that religious work.
2. US Green Card for Vulnerable Juveniles
The second category applies to juveniles who are under the protection of a juvenile court due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect by a parent. Young people in this situation may be eligible to apply for a green card as special immigrant juveniles.
3. US Green Card for Afghan and Iraqi Nationals
Nationals from Afghanistan and Iraq who worked alongside the US government may also qualify, under three distinct circumstances. These include Afghan or Iraqi nationals who served as translators or interpreters for the US government, Iraqis employed by or on behalf of the US government in Iraq at any point from 20 March 2003 onwards for a minimum of one year, and Afghans employed by either the US government or the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
4. US Green Card for International Broadcasters
The fourth eligible group covers international broadcasters who are coming to the US to work as members of the media for the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) or an organisation that receives USAGM grant funding.
5. Employee of International Organisations
Finally, retired officers or employees of qualifying international organisations or NATO may also be eligible, as may certain family members of such employees. This group, sometimes referred to as NATO-6 employees and their families, falls under a separate but related provision.
According to USCIS, each category has its own specific eligibility criteria, and applicants must carefully review the requirements before applying. The agency also reminds applicants that the process for obtaining a green card as a special immigrant may involve multiple steps, including filing a petition and attending an interview.
