What requirements must undocumented immigrants meet to apply for a Green Card in the US?
Many undocumented immigrants can achieve forgiveness to avoid deportation and even apply for long-term residency if they meet certain requirements.
Many people take the risk of entering the United States illegally in search of a better future. By doing so, they are vulnerable to being deported at any time if the authorities apprehend them. However, there are certain exceptions by which an illegal immigrant could obtain a residence permit and avoid deportation, according to the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), the body in charge of the regulation of immigrants.
What requirements must undocumented immigrants meet to apply for a Green Card in the US?
One of the first requirements indicated by the EOIR is that people demonstrate with documents that they have been living in the United States for at least a decade, which would help the chances of requesting deportation forgiveness before an immigration judge.
The agency recognizes that this process is long and tedious, but says that about 4,000 people manage to receive this benefit throughout each year.
“If the immigration judge approves the cancellation of deportation, you will be able to obtain a green card, also known as Legal Permanent Residence,” says an official document.
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After achieving cancellation of deportation, the beneficiary must apply for the Green Card before the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office. However, you must first meet two conditions in order to receive it:
- You must not have been convicted of any serious crime, and demonstrate “good moral character,” as established by the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- You must not have committed offenses that include failing to comply with the terms of bail for a crime, bank fraud, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, failure to file or pay taxes, and false claim to US citizenship.
The EOIR states that some immigrants can obtain acquittal in their deportation case if this expulsion from the United States could have dire consequences for their family. According to the Justice Department website, you could have your deportation cancelled if you can prove the following:
“Your removal would result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to your United States citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child, and you are deserving of a favorable exercise of discretion on your application.”