Why do green card applications commonly get rejected?

 Posted on August 01, 2021 in green cards

As of 2018, 1,096,611 people have received permanent lawful status in America. Many more, including yourself, aspire to join those numbers in lawful residency so you can gain the many benefits that come along with it.

Because of this, an application denial can hit like a sack of bricks. Fortunately, there are ways for you to continue onward in your application process even with a denial due to an error, but the first thing you want to know is how to avoid these errors when moving forward.

Common reasons for rejection

The Department of Homeland Security outlines steps you must take to achieve your green card. This can include a green card through marriage, relatives, work and so on. However, most errors will look the same no matter what type of green card you applied for. The top common ones include:

• Lacking financial resources
• Failing to establish your marriage
• Errors on your application package
• General ineligibility

Lacking financial resources is relatively straightforward. Your spouse or supporting family member will need the financial resources to support you, which they can prove through the provision of pay stubs or federal income tax returns. If they do not have the financial backing to support you, your application will end up denied.

Failing to establish your marriage simply means you cannot show your marriage as a legally recognized, authentic legal relationship. This can include if your country does not recognize your union or if you did not finalize a divorce beforehand.

The biggest potential reason

Errors serve as the most common reason for denial and can include even minuscule mistakes like not filling out all forms or submitting photos that do not meet requirements. Go through everything with a fine-toothed comb to avoid errors.

Finally, general ineligibility can stop you. You are not eligible just because you have a relative or spouse as a U.S. citizen, so you always want to triple-check requirements and eligibility.