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Boynton Beach · Lake Worth · Atlanta
+1 (888) 353-8307THE FULL SPECTRUM
Twelve practice areas. One firm.
From the first marriage visa to the appellate brief, our attorneys cover the entire path.
See all practice areas →Not sure where your case fits? Every consultation ends with a real answer.
Schedule a consultation →GREEN CARDS & PERMANENT RESIDENCY
Every road to a green card starts with the right map.
A green card is the goal for most people who want to build a permanent life in the United States, but there is no single way to get one. There are four broad roads: family, employment, investment, and humanitarian protection. Inside each one there are choices that change your timeline, your cost, and your odds. As a green card lawyer, our first job is not to file anything; it is to figure out which road actually fits your situation, and whether more than one is open to you. We guide clients toward permanent residency from our offices in Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, and Atlanta, in four languages.
THE BASICS
A green card makes you a lawful permanent resident of the United States. It lets you live and work here permanently, travel in and out of the country, sponsor certain family members, and, after you meet the requirements, apply to become a US citizen. It is not the same as citizenship and not the same as a visa; it is its own status, with its own rights and its own responsibilities.
The physical card, Form I-551, is just the proof. What matters is the underlying status: the right to remain in the country without a visa clock running against you. That status can be lost through certain crimes, through fraud, or by effectively abandoning your US residence with long absences abroad, which is why getting the green card is the beginning of a relationship with immigration law, not the end of one.
"Green card," "lawful permanent resident," "LPR," and "Form I-551" all describe the same thing: the right to live and work in the United States permanently.
THE FOUR PATHS
Almost every green card comes through one of four broad categories. Some people qualify under only one; others have a choice, and the right choice can save years. Here is the map. Follow the path that fits your situation to the practice page built for it.
The most common path. Spouses, fiancés, parents, children, and siblings of US citizens and green card holders. Marriage-based green cards, K-1 fiancé visas, and family petitions all live here, along with removal of conditions on a two-year card.
Family & marriage green cardsPermanent residency earned through work: PERM labor certification, EB-1 for extraordinary ability, and the EB-2 national interest waiver that lets qualified professionals self-petition. The immigrant side of employment immigration, distinct from temporary work visas.
Employment green cardsPermanent residency through capital. The EB-5 investor visa leads directly to a green card through a qualifying investment that creates US jobs, via a regional center or direct investment. High-stakes, document-heavy, and worth doing with senior counsel from day one.
Investor visas (EB-5)Green cards that grow out of protection: asylees and refugees, U visa crime victims, VAWA self-petitioners, and special programs like the Cuban Adjustment Act. Many humanitarian statuses lead to a green card after a required period.
Humanitarian immigrationHOW YOU GET IT
No matter which of the four paths you are on, at some point your green card is granted in one of two ways, and the difference is mostly about where you are standing when it happens. Adjustment of status is the route for people already inside the United States in a qualifying situation: you apply to USCIS and, if approved, you get your green card without leaving the country. Consular processing is the route for people outside the US, or who are not eligible to adjust inside it: your case finishes at a US embassy or consulate abroad, and you enter as a permanent resident.
Which one applies to you is not always a free choice. How you entered the country, your current status, any prior violations, and even where you live can decide it for you. Sometimes the wrong assumption about which route you qualify for is what sinks an otherwise approvable case. A green card attorney's job here is to confirm you are eligible for the route you are counting on before you file, not after.
| Adjustment of status (inside the US) | Consular processing (outside the US) |
|---|---|
| You are already in the United States in a qualifying situation | You are abroad, or not eligible to adjust inside the US |
| Filed with USCIS; you stay in the country while it is pending | Case finishes at a US embassy or consulate in your country |
| Often allows work and travel authorization while you wait | You enter the US as a permanent resident once approved |
| Interview usually at a local USCIS field office | Interview at the consulate; strict document requirements |
WHY CASES FAIL
Most green card denials are not surprises. They trace back to a handful of recurring problems that were present before the case was ever filed. Knowing which ones apply to you is the difference between a clean approval and a costly restart.
Certain criminal history, prior immigration fraud or misrepresentation, unlawful presence, and some health or security issues can make you "inadmissible," meaning you need a waiver, or a different strategy, before a green card is possible.
Family-based cases require the sponsor to meet income requirements or find a joint sponsor. A weak affidavit of support is one of the most common fixable reasons for a denial or a request for more evidence.
Assuming you can adjust status inside the US when you actually have to process abroad, or vice versa, can derail a case. This has to be confirmed before filing.
An unlawful entry, an overstay, or a prior removal order changes what is possible and can trigger bars that require waivers. These must be identified early.
Marriage cases that do not prove a bona fide relationship, employment cases with thin documentation, and applications that contradict earlier filings all invite denials.
Failing to respond to a USCIS request, missing an interview, or abandoning residence through long absences abroad can end a case that was otherwise on track.
TWO KINDS OF GREEN CARD
Not every green card is permanent from day one. Some are conditional, valid for two years, and require you to take a second step to keep your status. The two most common conditional green cards come from recent marriages and from EB-5 investment. In both, the government wants proof, two years in, that the basis for the green card was real: a genuine marriage, or an investment that actually did what it promised.
To convert a conditional green card into a full ten-year card, you file to remove the conditions (Form I-751 for marriage-based cases, Form I-829 for EB-5 investors) within the required window before the card expires. Miss it or file a weak petition, and someone who is already a permanent resident can be pushed back toward removal. An unconditional green card, by contrast, is the standard ten-year card that simply renews. Knowing which kind you have, and what it will demand of you later, is part of planning the case from the start.
Conditional green card (2 years): file to remove conditions before it expires: I-751 for marriage, I-829 for EB-5. Unconditional green card (10 years): renews without proving your basis again.
AFTER APPROVAL
Once you are a permanent resident, you can live and work anywhere in the United States, own property, start a business, and sponsor certain relatives. You also take on responsibilities: filing US taxes, keeping the US as your genuine home, carrying your card, and staying on the right side of the criminal law, because serious offenses can put even a green card at risk.
Travel is allowed, but not unlimited. Short trips are fine; long absences can be read as abandoning your residence, and a reentry permit may be needed for extended time abroad. And for most people, the green card is not the finish line. It is the qualifying period for citizenship. Five years as a permanent resident (or three if you are married to a US citizen) opens the door to naturalization, and we help clients think about that step from the moment the green card is approved.
Live and work anywhere in the US, own property, run a business, and sponsor certain family members.
Come and go freely for short trips; plan carefully (and consider a reentry permit) before long absences abroad.
Five years as a permanent resident (three if married to a US citizen) qualifies most people to apply for naturalization.
WHY DELGADO PURDY LAW
The advantage of choosing us as your green card lawyer is that we practice every one of the four paths under one roof. A lot of firms are built for one lane: only family cases, or only employment cases. When your situation could go more than one way, or turns out to be different from what you assumed, you do not want to discover mid-case that your firm cannot handle the road you actually need.
Between our two founding attorneys, we cover family, employment, investor, and humanitarian green cards, plus the deportation defense that sometimes runs alongside them. You get an experienced immigration attorney directly, in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French, from three offices across South Florida and Metro Atlanta. Whichever road your permanent residency travels, the same firm can see it through, and see you all the way to citizenship afterward.
CLIENT REVIEWS
Real Google reviews from our Boynton Beach and Lake Worth offices. Every card links back to the profile it came from, so you can check any of it yourself.
“Thais is an amazing lawyer and person, and because she’s Brazilian too, our communication was great! During the process she was always there to answer the questions about my immigration process in minutes! She really helped me and clarified everything when I needed. I highly recommend her!”
Deborah Z.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil · Boynton Beach
“Delgado Law Group has done a great job on my family’s immigration case. They have been much more professional and productive than our prior legal team. We really appreciate their support.”
Haydee Cedeño
7 months ago · Lake Worth
“Thais was awesome and has great communication. I was having trouble getting my wife’s visa with another lawyer. Thais stepped in and got it done right away. She made our case a priority and I highly recommend hiring her. She turned our stressful situation into an easy one.”
David R.
Honolulu, HI · Boynton Beach
“Amazing job on my case! Amazing service overall! Jackie knows her stuff and will fight hard for you and your case! I am satisfied and would highly recommend! Thank you Jackie and her office for everything.”
Mimi M.
a year ago · Lake Worth
“After two frustrating experiences with other lawyers here in Florida, we finally found someone who would give us all the legal and emotional support to face this difficult and long-awaited dream. Thais Arsolino helped us overcome the fears and challenges of our EB-3. She guided our process from start to finish with dedication. Thank you for being a fundamental part of this achievement for our family!”
Bruna Loyola
Florida · Boynton Beach
Translated from Portuguese.
Verify on Google, Boynton Beach profile“Ms. Delgado is the best lawyer ever. Helped my whole family and can’t thank her enough. God bless Ms. Delgado and her whole crew.”
Manuel Francisco
10 months ago · Lake Worth
“I would recommend this law office over any other in the South Florida area. The care and attention I have received here is unlike any other. When you call, you get to speak with the actual attorney, not an assistant or paralegal.”
Ryan B.
Miami, FL · Boynton Beach
“Thais was always available for my calls and messages. I was surprised at how quickly she and her staff responded to my concerns. I’m happy to say that my case is now over and I can move on with my life.”
Maria F.
Jupiter, FL · Boynton Beach
“No words for the professionalism. I recommend Purdy to everyone. I especially thank Thais, an undisputed professional.”
Lailson Lesbao
Brazil · Boynton Beach
Translated from Portuguese.
Verify on Google, Boynton Beach profileThese are real reviews from real clients, published with their permission. Every immigration case turns on its own facts. A prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results.
GREEN CARD FAQS
A visa is generally permission to travel to the US and seek entry for a specific purpose and period: a work visa, a student visa, a visitor visa. A green card is permanent resident status: the right to live and work in the United States indefinitely, with a path to citizenship. Some people move from a temporary visa to a green card over time; others qualify for a green card directly. They are different things, with different rights and different rules.
Both are ways to finish a green card case; the difference is where you are. Adjustment of status is for people already inside the United States in a qualifying situation: you apply to USCIS and get your green card without leaving. Consular processing is for people outside the US, or not eligible to adjust inside it: your case finishes at a US embassy or consulate abroad, and you enter as a permanent resident. Which one applies depends on your entry, your status, and your history, and it should be confirmed before you file.
It depends entirely on the path. An immediate-relative marriage case for the spouse of a US citizen may take roughly a year to a year and a half, while employment and investor cases, and family-preference categories subject to annual limits, can take considerably longer, sometimes years, because of visa-number backlogs. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific category at the consultation.
Often, yes, but not automatically. If you are adjusting status inside the US, you can usually apply for a work permit and a travel document (advance parole) while your case is pending, which let you work and travel without abandoning the application. Traveling without the right document while your case is pending can be treated as abandoning it, so this is something to get right before you book a trip. If you are processing at a consulate abroad, the rules are different.
A conditional green card is valid for two years and comes mainly from recent marriages and from EB-5 investment. To keep your status, you file to remove the conditions before it expires (Form I-751 for marriage-based cases, Form I-829 for EB-5), proving the basis for your green card was genuine. If you succeed, you receive a standard ten-year card. Missing the filing window can put your residency at risk, so calendar it early and prepare the evidence well ahead of time.
Yes, though it is not common for people who follow the rules. Permanent residents can lose status through certain criminal convictions, through fraud in how the green card was obtained, or by effectively abandoning US residence with long absences abroad. This is why a green card is best thought of as a status to protect, not a document to file and forget. If you are a permanent resident facing criminal charges or a long time abroad, talk to an immigration attorney before, not after.
For most people, permanent residency is the qualifying period for naturalization. After five years as a green card holder (or three years if you are married to and living with a US citizen), you generally become eligible to apply for citizenship, provided you meet the residence, physical-presence, English, civics, and good moral character requirements. Many of our green card clients come back to us a few years later to naturalize, and we plan for that step from the start.
It depends on the path. Family-based green cards are usually handled as a flat legal fee within a defined range. Employment and investor cases are scoped individually because the work involved varies widely. Government filing fees are separate from the legal fee in every case. We quote a real number at the consultation once we understand your situation. A 30-minute consultation is $100 by phone or video, or $250 in person, and if you retain us, that fee is credited to your case.
RELATED PRACTICE AREAS
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Schedule a consultation and we will look at your situation, tell you which path fits, whether more than one is open to you, and what the real timeline and cost look like, in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French, before you commit to anything.
