Guides to US residence and citizenship
Each guide is written by Darya Melnik, checked against USCIS, the Department of State and BRIDGES data, and dated. Start with the complete guide if you are new to the topic.
US Residence in 2026: EB-5, the E-2 Investor Visa, O-1 and EB-1 Talent Routes, H-1B, Family and Citizenship. The Complete Guide
Every realistic way to move to the United States in 2026: the EB-5 green card from $800,000, the E-2 treaty investor visa, O-1, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW for talent, H-1B and L-1 through an employer, family sponsorship and US citizenship after 5 years.
EB-5 Investor Green Card in 2026: $800,000 or $1,050,000, 10 Jobs, New Fees and the Queue for China and India
How the EB-5 green card works in 2026: $800,000 in a targeted employment area or $1,050,000 elsewhere, 10 jobs per investor, reserved visas for rural projects, the I-526E and I-829 petitions, fees rising on 30 November 2026 and the Visa Bulletin queue.
E-2 Treaty Investor Visa in 2026: Which Passports Qualify, How Much to Invest and Why It Is Not a Green Card
How the US E-2 treaty investor visa works in 2026: treaty nationality, a substantial investment with no fixed minimum, at least 50% ownership, visas up to 5 years renewable without limit, the 3-year rule for citizenship by investment and the 2026 proposal on extensions.
O-1, EB-1A and EB-2 NIW in 2026: US Visas and Green Cards for Talent Without an Investment
How talent routes to the US work in 2026: the O-1A visa with 3 of 8 criteria, the EB-1A green card with 3 of 10 criteria and no job offer, EB-2 NIW under the Dhanasar test, current queues, fees and approval trends.
H-1B, L-1 and Employer-Sponsored Green Cards in 2026: the Lottery, the $100,000 Fee Dispute and EB-2 and EB-3 Queues
How to move to the US through work in 2026: the H-1B cap of 85,000 and the new wage-weighted lottery, the court fight over the $100,000 fee, the L-1A transfer for owners and managers of a foreign company, PERM and EB-2 and EB-3 queues.
US Family Green Card and Citizenship in 2026: Immediate Relatives, Preference Queues and Naturalisation After 5 Years
How family sponsorship and US citizenship work in 2026: immediate relatives without a quota, F1 to F4 preference queues, the 2-year conditional card for new marriages, fees, naturalisation after 5 or 3 years, the 2025 civics test and worldwide taxation.