MyGreenCard is an independent information resource about U.S. permanent residency. The U.S. green card system is genuinely hard to navigate — dozens of pathways, constantly shifting backlogs, and official guidance scattered across multiple government sites. Our goal is to make that system understandable, in plain language, for free.
MyGreenCard is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not affiliated with USCIS, the U.S. Department of State, or any government agency. We are an educational resource. For advice about your specific case, consult a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Why this site exists
MyGreenCard began as one person's attempt to make sense of the U.S. green card process — the kind of detailed notes, checklists, and pathway comparisons you end up building when you're navigating it yourself. Over time those notes grew into something worth sharing publicly. The site is still small and growing, and we'd rather be honest about that than pretend to be bigger than we are.
What we offer today
- Plain-language pathway guides covering family-based, employment-based (EB-1, EB-2/NIW, EB-3, EB-5), the Diversity Visa Lottery, and more.
- USCIS form explainers that walk through what each major form is for and what to expect — always pointing you to the official, free forms at USCIS.gov.
- Free interactive tools, including an eligibility quiz, a Visa Bulletin tracker, a processing-times reference, and cost and timeline calculators.
- Country-specific guides with context on common pathways and document procurement for major source countries.
- Practical resources on avoiding immigration scams and on how to find and vet a real immigration attorney.
The site is available through Google Translate in several languages to widen access; those are machine translations of our English content, not separately authored versions.
What we're still building
We believe in being upfront about what isn't here yet. A community forum and a verified attorney referral program are in development but not live. If we ever run community grants or list attorney partners, we'll launch those only when they're genuinely funded and operational — and we'll describe them honestly, with published rules. We won't advertise features or prizes that don't exist.
What we don't do
- We don't give legal advice. Our content is general education; your specific situation may require a licensed attorney.
- We don't file forms for you. We explain the process; you (or your attorney) file directly with USCIS.
- We don't promise outcomes. No website can guarantee a green card or a specific timeline — anyone who claims to is a red flag.
- We don't sell your personal data. See our privacy policy for exactly what we collect and why.
How we're funded
Being clear about money matters, because it explains our incentives. The site is free to read. We intend to support it primarily through advertising, which is clearly labeled. In the future we may add clearly-disclosed sponsorships or referral arrangements with reputable, properly-licensed service providers. If and when we do, those relationships will always be disclosed, and they will never change the information we publish or who we recommend. We do not accept payment in exchange for favorable content, recommendations, or rankings.
How we research and write
Immigration is a Your-Money-or-Your-Life topic, so accuracy matters more than speed. Our approach:
- We base content on primary, official sources wherever possible — USCIS.gov, the Department of State's travel.state.gov and monthly Visa Bulletin, the Federal Register, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- We point readers to those official sources rather than asking them to take our word for it, and we encourage verifying fees, forms, and dates directly, because they change.
- We write in plain language and try to be explicit about uncertainty rather than implying false precision.
- We are not attorneys, and we do not represent our guides as legal advice or as attorney-reviewed. Where a decision carries real legal stakes, we say so and recommend professional counsel.
Corrections
If you find something inaccurate or out of date, please tell us — it genuinely helps every reader who comes after you. Use the contact form and choose "Editorial correction." We review corrections promptly and fix confirmed errors.
Contact
For corrections, suggestions, partnership inquiries, or general feedback, visit our contact page. We read everything that comes in.