Immigrants in the United States are entitled to certain benefits through the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If you are here on a temporary or permanent basis, you may be eligible to apply for naturalization, permanent status, or to work in the United States.

The USCIS can help you find the right forms, see an update on your case if you have applied for citizenship, find out how to bring family to the United States and much more. Their online resources are divided by topics to help you easily find what you are looking for depending on your current situation.

Find out more information at USCIS and what benefits you can get.

Applicants from the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) were not eligible to apply for the 2013 Diversity Visa program. The list of countries that were eligible are listed in the program instructions.

The Diversity Visa program makes up to 55,000 visas available to people who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The online registration period for the 2014 program should open in fall 2012.

Learn more about the Diversity Visa program.

The time it takes to process a spouse or fiancée visa varies from case to case and, unfortunately, cannot be predicted. 

Cases can be delayed when the applicant does not follow instructions carefully or when the U.S. sponsor, or petitioner, cannot meet the requirements. Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer.

Learn more about how to obtain an immigrant visa for a spouse or fiancé of a U.S. citizen and find answers to common questions.

A permanent resident is someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is granted a permanent resident card, commonly called a “green card.”

You can become a permanent resident several different ways, such as being sponsored by a family member or employer in the United States. The steps to getting a green card vary depending on which category you fall under. 

Learn more about the options and steps to becoming a permanent resident.