How to Get a Green Card - 17th Edition by Ilona Bray (Paperback)

About the Book

An all-in-one immigration guide for spouses, fiancés, and other family of U.S. citizens, as well as victims of crime in the United States, people fearing persecution in their home countries, and others seeking information on whether they qualify for U.S. lawful permanent residence, along with how to successfully apply for it.

Book Synopsis

The ultimate green card guide

The U.S. immigration system is an enormous bureaucracy, so it's vital that you understand it before attempting to apply for a green card. Making a mistake can lead to delays and hassles or even ruin your chances for success.

How to Get a Green Card provides everything you need to know about qualifying for permanent U.S. residence if you don't have an employer sponsoring you.

Find out how to work with U.S. officials and prepare and present the right documents at the right time to get a green card through:

• parents, siblings, or adult children


• a U.S. spouse or fiancé


• political asylum or refugee status


• a U visa for crime victims, or


• another category you might qualify for.

The 17th edition covers the latest income requirements for family-based green card applicants, changes to fee-payment procedures, new travel bans on various countries, added procedural hurdles for asylum applicants, and more.

Review Quotes

"Green card seekers: Look no further ... Asian Week.

"A definitive book that is also easy to read." Fort Worth Star Telegram

"Highly recommended." Library Journal

"Now in an updated 13th edition, How to Get a Green Card a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to determining whether one is eligible for permanent residence in the United States, and successfully applying for a "green card" document that grants that permission. Chapters offer in- depth assistance for filling out application forms, including plenty of sample forms. Since American law is constantly changing, How to Get a Green Card comes with free legal updates on immigration rules, accessible via the publisher's Nolo.com website. "Nonattorney practitioners, visa consults, [etc.] litter the immigration marketplace... be wary - especially if they promise you a green card without any hassle for a certain amount of money. Aside from the fact that it is unlawful to practice immigration law without being admitted by a state bar association, there is no way you can check on these individuals' expertise, and nowhere to complain if their services are poor." An index rounds out this absolute "must-have" for anyone considering earning their own green card." The Midwest Book Review

Author comments: While practicing immigration law, I helped hundreds of people obtain immigrant visas and green cards. Like other attorneys, I couldn't believe how complex both the laws and the bureaucratic procedures were. There are simply too many ways for green-card applicants to make mistakes, and U.S. immigration officials sometimes further complicate matters by making mistakes of their own! Having switched from active law practice to writing, I am committed, with the help of a team of updaters, to making sure the average person, who lacks an employee sponsor, can understand the most likely ways to gain U.S. residence--as well as when and why it might be worth consulting with or hiring an attorney for assistance. This book has been popular with readers for many years, and we make sure that every edition is completely reviewed, updated, and improved.