Green Cards
Visa holders may adjust their status to become a legal permanent resident of the United States with a green card. The steps to becoming a permanent resident (green card holder) will vary by green card category and country of birth. The process can be lengthy.
The main green card sponsorship categories are:
- Green card through family
- Green card through a job
- Green card through diversity lottery (if country eligible)
- Green card through refugee or asylee status
You can apply for a green card with or without sponsorship from a hospital. Employees eligible for a hospital sponsored green card must use a PIPS preferred local attorney. The attorney represents both the employer as well as the individual, regardless of who pays the legal fees. If you would like a list of PIPS recommended local immigration attorneys, please Contact Us.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reinstated in-person green card interviews. It is strongly advised to select local reputable counsel who can accompany you to the interview. Local lawyers know the personalities and procedures of the local USCIS office better than someone across the country. It is recommended that those seeking self-filed green cards also utilize local counsel to avoid complications and ensure they have the opportunity to be represented by counsel at an interview.
Using reputable local counsel is an important step in the green card process. As with all professions, there are many qualified, competent immigration lawyers, and some that are not. Immigration law is a complex field that is constantly changing and it contains a variety of subspecialties – employment, family, asylum, deportation, etc. Select a lawyer with a strong background in your particular type of case whose “bedside manner” you like and who seems to care about your case. Remember, a green card is an investment in your future so do not make a decision based solely on cost. Feel free to ask a firm about payment plans.
Applying for a Green Card with Hospital Sponsorship
You may apply for a green card with sponsorship from the hospital if the following requirements are met:
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) |
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) |
McLean Hospital |
Other Partners Entities |
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Applying for a Green Card with Hospital or Partners Healthcare Sponsorship (Non-Academic)
Those who are non-academic or weekly paid employees do not need to satisfy the requirements listed above, but you must have a permanent job and funding paid by the hospital or Partners payroll system must be secure until the green card is granted. Green card sponsorship for weekly-paid employees usually requires that the employer recruit and prove that no other American employees are available to fill the job (aka a PERM). You need to have the sponsorship request approved and should always have your supervisor or departmental administrator contact PIPS regarding policies and procedures. Your HR Representative will also review the sponsorship request to determine feasibility.
If eligible and your Department and HR agree to sponsorship:
- You may ask your hospital department to contact our office for a Green Card Support form that they must complete and return to our office. If a PERM is required HR must sign the Green Card Support Form.
- Our office must represent the hospital or Partners in support of your final green card application.
- Our office must sign the forms prepared by your immigration attorney (your supervisor or hospital department is not authorized to sign the final green card documents).
- You will be responsible for hiring an immigration attorney from our list of recommended attorneys and for paying all or most legal fees (as permitted by law) even if the hospital has agreed to sponsor the green card. For a list of PIPS recommended attorneys, please Contact Us.
- Your immigration attorney should have the green card application filed at least 1 year before 6 years of H-1B visa status have been depleted.