The Immigration and Nationality Act includes provisions that dictate the number of immigrant visas that are given out each year. Under this Act, U.S. citizens and some legal permanent residents are allowed to sponsor their relatives to help them enter the United States more quickly than other applicants. The government sets preference categories and limits based on relationships between family members.

If you are a citizen of a country outside of the United States and want to become a U.S. citizen, you may apply for citizenship through the process of naturalization. After meeting eligibility requirements and filing your application, you must take an English test and a civics test to show your knowledge of the English language and of U.S. history and government.

If you have ever looked at coming to the United States, you have probably seen the vast amount of paperwork that must be done for you to get a visa. You first have to figure out your status, which starts at immigrant and non-immigrant and divides into more categories from there. You also must determine the forms that you need to come to the U.S. This process can quickly get confusing, so it is no surprise that many people turn to using immigration attorneys.

Permanent residents are citizens of countries outside the United States who have been granted legal permission to permanently live and work within the U.S. When a person becomes a permanent resident, he or she is granted a "green card," which provides proof of his or her status.