If you are applying for green card for your family members from other countries or if you are an employer planning to bring in a worker you may need to hire you need to start the green card application processing procedures by inviting them.

The first step in applying for green card is to get a priority date or an immigrant visa number. This is the number given to you by the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) as a token of approval of the immigrant petition filed by you.

The petition for the priority date can be applied on various grounds namely family based, employment based, investment based, adoption based, asylum or refugee based or marriage based.

After getting the priority date, you can apply for Adjustment of Status or AOS (if you are inside US) adjustment of status avoids unnecessary travel again to the parent country, or go for consular processing (if you are abroad). Consular processing can be done at any US consulate abroad.

Once you satisfy the eligibility conditions for applying for I-485, then you have to get several documents including a fee payment as given my the embassy, G-28 notice if you have a lawyer, 2 identical photographs, I-485 supplement A if you have to pay penalties, G-325 A which is the biographic information sheet, I-693 requiring medical examination, and many more forms as per specifications including evidence of status, copy of passport, birth certificate, travel document, work permit, police clearances, etc.

Refugees are free from fee while children less than 14 years have to make lower payments. Another fee is the biometric fee which is required by the USCIS to take finger prints. This fee is meant for people falling under the age group of 14-79 years.

Then the application must be neatly filed with the necessary supporting documents only to the prescribed office. Different categories of people have to file the application in different places.

Few weeks after filing the application, the USCIS will issue you a receipt containing the alien number which must be retained for further correspondence with the USCIS. It is officially called the I-797C, Notice of Action.

It is important to retain the green card to prevent immigration strangulation. An expert advice must be taken before applying for green card to avoid complications. Invitation from a current green card holder works better than individual approach.