Immigrating to the United States is the dream of many Brazilians. And this dream is no longer inaccessible: more than 23,000 Brazilians obtained their Green Cards in 2022.

With a different profile from the immigrants who once abandoned their careers to pursue the American dream, the Brazilians who now migrate to the United States obtain their green cards precisely by using their professional experience.

If you're a lawyer with a law degree, you should know that you can work as a lawyer in the United States.

How to validate your law degree in the USA

To become a lawyer in the United States, you need to pass the Bar Exam, which is the exam that qualifies you to practice law in the US. This exam is administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). But the American exam has different requirements from the Brazilian one, and a law degree does not qualify a candidate to take the exam.

Each state has different criteria, but the two main requirements for taking the Bar Exam and practicing law in the United States are, in addition to a bachelor's degree, a JD (Juris Doctor) or LLM (Legum Magister). 

A Juris Doctor would be the equivalent of a doctorate in law, but from an American university or a university with degrees recognized in the United States. The LLM, on the other hand, is the equivalent of a master's degree in law, which means that if you have an LLM, you will most likely be able to meet the requirements to take the bar exam in many American states.

The biggest difference between the American bar exam and the Brazilian one is that the American one is state-based, and you will get your license as a lawyer to practice law in the state where you took the exam and meet the necessary requirements that the State Bar demands.

But don't forget: a U.S. law license gives you the right to be a lawyer in the U.S. - but you need authorization from the U.S. government and immigration to reside and work in the U.S. in any profession. 

To obtain authorization to live and work in the United States, you would need to be an American citizen, or obtain an American work visa, or a permanent residence visa, also known as a Green Card.

EB-1 and EB-2 visas

The Immigration Act of 1990 created the EB-1 and EB-2 work visas, which facilitate the migration of qualified professionals from all over the world to the United States. These professionals immigrate using their CVs as a gateway to America. 

The EB-1 visa only covers professionals with extraordinary skills and international recognition in their field, which is why most qualified professionals are eligible under the criteria of the EB-2 visa category.

EB-2 visa: requirements

If you have a bachelor's degree, more than five years ' experience in your profession and exceptional skills in your field, you may be eligible for a green card in the EB-2 category.

And in this visa category, if you are approved, your spouse and children under the age of 21 will also receive their respective green cards.

All this without the need for a previous job offer in the United States.

Am I eligible for a green card?

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