There are different types of green cards, some include family-based green cards, employment-based green cards, humanitarian green cards, diversity lottery green cards, long-time resident green cards, and other green cards.

Family-Based Green Cards

Sometimes close relatives of U.S. citizens and those who currently have a green card can actually apply for family-based green cards of their own. If they are eligible their family members include spouses, children, parents, and siblings. That also includes spouses and children of those spouses and adult children and siblings.

Widows and widowers are also included in this category, Those who were married to U.S. citizens before the citizen died are still legal citizens of the United States. But just like the spouses of living U.S. citizens, those who are current green card holders who have applied for family-based green cards such as widows and widowers must also prove that their marriage was indeed authentic to be able to receive their green card.

However, a lot of extended families such as cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents won’t qualify for green cards. They can, however, apply for a permanent resident card but only if they too have a closer relative that is a U.S. citizen or someone who currently has a green card.

Employment-Based Green Cards

Within the employment-based green card category, there are multiple subcategories where workers can apply for a permanent resident card. And in a lot of cases not only they can qualify but their spouses and children can too.

Refugees and Asylees

Those people who fear their homelands and have experienced persecution whether due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in certain social groups can come to the United States to seek protection but they have to apply for a visa from abroad. (to become a refugee) or from within the United States ( to remain as asylees).

After they have resided in the United States for at least a year they can apply for permanent residency. So can their children and spouses apply for green cards as well?

Human Trafficking Victims

If you are someone who is being trafficked in the United States then you can apply for a T visa so you can stay in the United States for up to no more than 4 years. The only catch is that to get the T visa they have to help investigate and prosecute perpetrators of human traffickers (unless the victim is under the age of 18 years old.) If so they don’t need to help with any investigation.

In order to qualify for a permanent resident card the victim must have physically lived in the United States for the following periods: whichever is actually shorter:

# Three consecutive years since getting the T visa

# During the entire duration of an investigation and/or prosecution of a human trafficker.