Legal Permanent Residents

What You Need to Know About LPR Status

  • A Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) is authorized to live and work in the United States indefinitely, enjoying most of the rights of a U.S. citizen.
  • Permanent Residency must be renewed every 10 years, but is valid until abandoned by the "green card" holder or revoked by the U.S. Government.
  • An employer can sponsor an employee for LPR.  When this happens, he employer is designated the petitioner, and the employee as the beneficiary.
  • UNL typically sponsors permanent residency under the following employment-based categories:
    •  EB-1 (Outstanding Professor or Researcher)
    •  EB-2 with Special Handling for Teaching Faculty 
  • (View the official UNL policy on sponsorship for LPR status)
  • The position is governed by the duration, rate of pay, worksite, and title listed in the Labor Certification Application associated with the petition.
    Notify ISSO if changes are made to the position.

Legal Permanent Residency Petition Workflow

1. Inquiry
  1. Department submits a Permanent Resident Sponsorship Form to the Senior International Officer (SIO) for approval and routing to ISSO.

     
  2. After ISSO receives the approved Sponsorship Form, ISSO meets with departmental administrator and beneficiary (employee) to discuss required documentation and timeline.
2. Intent
Category EB-1Category EB-2
  1. ISSO sends Form I-140 to department and Form I-485 to the beneficiary.

  2. Continue to Step 3.
     

    Prevailing Wage Determination and Labor Certification Application are waived for EB-1 Beneficiaries.

  1. ISSO sends Prevailing Wage Determination Form to department.

  2. Department completes Prevailing Wage Form and sends to ISSO.  ISSO then requests a prevailing wage determination from the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL).
     

    Allow 2–3 months for wage determination

  3. While waiting for prevailing wage from DoL, ISSO works with department to draft a Labor Certification Application (LCA).

    The LCA outlines the terms of the proposed position.

  4. When prevailing wage is received from DoL, ISSO submits LCA to DoL for certification.

    Allow 2–6 months for LCA certification

  5. After the LCA is certified by DoL, ISSO sends Form I-140 to department and Form I-485 to the beneficiary.
3. Documentation
  1. Department completes Form I-140 and documentation, then sends to ISSO.
    Beneficiary completes Form I-485 and documentation, then sends to ISSO.
  2. ISSO reviews Forms and documentation for accuracy and completeness.
4. Submittal

  1. Department mails Form I-140 to USCIS with a check for $700 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (premium processing fee is extra).

    Allow 4–6 months for approval under regular processing,
    or 1 month with premium processing

  2. Beneficiary mails Form I-485 to USCIS with a check for $1225 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

    Allow an additional 2–3 months for approval after Form I-140 approval.

  3. ISSO recommends keeping a photocopy of all materials.