U.S. Immigration Guides

How these guides are written

Every factual statement in a Vekyo immigration guide is tied to an official source. Numbered notes next to a statement point to the Sources checked list at the bottom of the page, which shows the source, the organization, the date it was last checked and what it was used to support. When an official source is silent or unclear on a point, the guide says so instead of filling the gap.

Immigration rules, fees and dates change. Each guide shows when it was last reviewed, and pages that depend on frequently changing information say so at the top.

Who handles what

Two federal agencies appear throughout these guides, and knowing which one handles a step avoids a lot of confusion. USCIS receives petitions and applications such as Form I-130 and Form I-485. The U.S. Department of State runs consulates abroad, uses priority dates to place immigrants in the visa queue, and administers the Diversity Visa selection.^{[1], [2], [4], [5], [7]}

There are two routes to a green card. A person who is in the United States may be able to apply for it from inside the country, which USCIS calls adjustment of status. A person who is outside the United States applies for an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad, which is called consular processing.^{[3], [4]}

What these guides do not do

The guides do not assess whether a particular person qualifies, predict how a case will turn out, or prepare filings. Whether someone qualifies depends on facts these pages cannot see. For anything that turns on your own history, consider speaking with a licensed immigration attorney.

Topics

• Family-Based Immigration to the United States

  How U.S. family-based immigration is organized, immediate relatives versus preference categories, and which guides explain each step, based on USCIS information.

• Getting a Green Card: Routes, Forms and Visa Availability

  The two routes to a U.S. green card, adjustment of status and consular processing, and how Forms I-130 and I-485 and visa availability fit together.

• The Visa Bulletin: What It Is and Who Needs It

  What the Department of State Visa Bulletin is, which green card applicants depend on it and where to check the current chart, with USCIS guidance.

• The Diversity Visa (DV) Program: Overview and Current Status

  What the U.S. Diversity Visa program is, who runs each stage, the current Department of State guidance on DV issuances, and what to check before acting.

Sources checked

Official sources this page was written from, in order of authority. See our sources policy.

1. [1] I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated July 24, 2026

   Supports: USCIS receives Form I-130

2. [2] I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated September 18, 2026

   Supports: USCIS receives Form I-485

3. [3] Adjustment of Status

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated July 24, 2026

   Supports: adjustment of status is for people in the United States

4. [4] Consular Processing

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated July 20, 2023

   Supports: consular processing is the route from outside the United States

5. [5] Visa Availability and Priority Dates

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated January 24, 2025

   Supports: the Department of State uses priority dates to place immigrants in the visa queue

6. [6] Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated October 1, 2026

   Supports: USCIS designates which Visa Bulletin chart applicants use

7. [7] Green Card Through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

   USCIS · Official source · Checked October 3, 2026 · Source last updated July 8, 2025

   Supports: the Department of State administers the Diversity Visa selection