United States · Immigration54
Registry
A long-standing provision allowing people who have lived continuously in the U.S. since a very early statutory date (currently January 1, 1972) to apply for a Green Card, regardless of how they entered.
Currently available · Editorial record dated 10/20/2026 · Not lawyer review or an eligibility decision. Check current official instructions.
Who this is for
People who entered the U.S. before January 1, 1972 and have lived here continuously since.
The statutory date has not been updated since 1986, so this helps very few people today.
Common problems
Evidence from decades ago
School, work, tax and medical records from the 1970s onward are typically needed to prove continuous residence.