<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Refugee </Td> <Td> 70,000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> 300,000--500,000 immediate relatives admitted annually . No more than 7 percent of the visas may be issued to natives of any one country . Currently, individuals from China (mainland), India, Mexico and the Philippines are subject to per - country quotas in most of the categories, and the waiting time may take longer (additional 5--20 years). Spouse and minor children of the IR / F4 / EB applicants, DV winners, asylums & refugees may apply for immigrant visa adjudication with their spouse or parent . The quotas include not only the principal applicants but also their nuclear family members . </Td> </Tr> <P> Applications for permanent resident cards (green cards) were decided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) until 2003 when the INS was abolished and replaced by the current Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The whole process may take several years, depending on the type of immigrant category and the country of chargeability . An immigrant usually has to go through a three - step process to get permanent residency: </P> <Ol> <Li> Immigrant petition (Form I - 140 or Form I - 130)--in the first step, USCIS approves the immigrant petition by a qualifying relative, an employer, or in rare cases, such as with an investor visa, the applicant himself . If a sibling is applying, she or he must have the same parents as the applicant . </Li> <Li> Immigrant visa availability--in the second step, unless the applicant is an "immediate relative", an immigrant visa number through the National Visa Center (NVC) of the United States Department of State (DOS) must be available . A visa number might not be immediately available even if the USCIS approves the petition, because the number of immigrant visa numbers is limited every year by quotas set in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). There are also certain additional limitations by country of chargeability . Thus, most immigrants will be placed on lengthy waiting lists . Those immigrants who are immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen (spouses and children under 21 years of age, and parents of a U.S. citizen who is 21 years of age or older) are not subject to these quotas and may proceed to the next step immediately (since they qualify for the IR immigrant category). </Li> <Li> Immigrant visa adjudication--in the third step, when an immigrant visa number becomes available, the applicant must either apply with USCIS to adjust their current status to permanent resident status or apply with the DOS for an immigrant visa at the nearest U.S. consulate before being allowed to come to the United States . <Ul> <Li> Adjustment of status (AOS)--Adjustment of status is for when the immigrant is in the United States and entered the U.S. legally . Except for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, the immigrant must also be in legal status at the time of applying for adjustment of status . For immediate relatives and other relative categories whose visa numbers are current, adjustment of status can be filed for at the same time with the petition (step 1 above). Adjustment of status is submitted to USCIS via form I - 485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status . The USCIS conducts a series of background checks (including fingerprinting for FBI criminal background check and name checks) and makes a decision on the application . Once the adjustment of status application is accepted, the alien is allowed to stay in the United States even if the original period of authorized stay on the Form I - 94 is expired, but he / she is generally not allowed to leave the country until the application is approved, or the application will be abandoned . If the alien has to leave the United States during this time, he / she can apply for travel documents at the USCIS with form I - 131, also called Advance parole . If there is a potential risk that the applicant's work permit (visa) will expire or become invalid (laid off by the employer and visa sponsor) or the applicant wants to start working in the United States, while he / she is waiting for the decision about his / her application to change status, he / she can file form I - 765, to get Employment Authorization Documents (also called EAD) and be able to continue or start working legally in the United States . In some cases, the applicant will be interviewed at a USCIS office, especially if it is a marriage - based adjustment from a K - 1 visa, in which case both spouses (the US citizen and the applicant) will be interviewed by the USCIS . If the application is approved, the alien becomes an LPR, and the actual green card is mailed to the alien's last known mailing address . </Li> <Li> Consular processing--This is the process if the immigrant is outside the United States, or is ineligible for AOS . It still requires the immigrant visa petition to be first completed and approved . The applicant may make an appointment at the U.S. embassy or consulate in his / her home country, where a consular officer adjudicates the case . If the case is approved, an immigrant visa is issued by the U.S. embassy or consulate . The visa entitles the holder to travel to the United States as an immigrant . At the port of entry, the immigrant visa holder immediately becomes a permanent resident, and is processed for a permanent resident card and receives an I - 551 stamp in his / her passport . The permanent resident card is mailed to his / her U.S. address within several weeks . </Li> </Ul> </Li> </Ol>

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