US immigration legislation in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) stipulates that a person may obtain permanent resident status primarily through the course of the following proceedings:
- immigration through a family member
- immigration through employment
- immigration through investment (from 0.5 to 1 million US dollars)
- immigration through the Diversity Lottery
- immigration through Refugee or Asylum status
- immigration through "The Registry" provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act
- immigration approved by the Director of Central Intelligence