What You Need to Know About LPR Status
- UNL Policy on Sponsorship for LPR Status
- An employer can sponsor an employee for legal permanent residency (LPR or "green card"). When this happens, the 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) —download workflow for EB-1
- EB-2 (Special Handling for Teaching Faculty) —download workflow for EB-2
Note that an EB-2 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. INQUIRY
- Department submits a Permanent Resident Sponsorship Form to the Dean, Senior International Officer (SIO), and Vice Chancellor for approval and routing to the ISSO.
- After the ISSO receives the approved Sponsorship Form, the ISSO meets with departmental administrators and beneficiary (employee) to discuss required documentation and timeline.
#2 Intent
2. INTENT
For Category EB-1
- ISSO sends Form I-140 to department and Form I-485 to the beneficiary.
- Continue to Step 3.
(Prevailing Wage Determination and Labor Certification Application are waived for EB-1 Beneficiaries.)
For Category EB-2
- ISSO sends Prevailing Wage Determination Form to department.
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
While waiting for prevailing wage from DoL, ISSO works with department to draft a Labor Certification Application, which must be submitted no more than 18 months after the alien was offered the position.
The labor cert outlines the terms of the proposed position.
When prevailing wage is received from DoL, ISSO submits labor cert to DoL for certification.
Allow 2–6 months for Labor Cert approval
- After the labor cert is approved by DoL, ISSO sends Form I-140 to department and Form I-485 to the beneficiary.
#3 Documentation
3. DOCUMENTATION
- Department completes Form I-140 and documentation, then sends to ISSO.
Beneficiary completes Form I-485 and documentation, then sends to ISSO. - ISSO reviews Forms and documentation for accuracy and completeness.
#4 Submittal
4. SUBMITTAL
Department mails Form I-140 to USCIS with a check for $700 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (optional premium processing fee is $2500 extra on a separate check).
Allow 4–6 months for approval under regular processing,
or 1 month with premium processingBeneficiary mails Form I-485 to USCIS with a check for $1225 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Allow an additional 18–24 months for approval after Form I-140 approval.
ISSO recommends keeping a photocopy of all materials!