Lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, are non-citizens who have been authorized to live in the United States permanently. Non-citizens can obtain permanent residency in a number of ways, including through family, through employment, and because of humanitarian considerations. Non-citizens obtain permanent residency either inside the United States by adjusting their status or outside the United States through consular processing. Regardless of where a non-citizen applies for permanent residency, the individual must be admissible to the United States. A person may be inadmissible for a number of reasons, including but not limited to criminal convictions or past immigration-related violations. It may be possible for these inadmissibility bars to be waived, depending on the circumstances. For these reasons, it is extremely important to consult with a Los Angeles green card lawyer regarding your case to determine whether you are eligible to obtain a green card.