An individual who is a U.S. Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) or a U.S. Citizen may a sponsor relative for his/her own Green Card. Among the many factors that affect the process, the length of time it takes your relative to obtain his/her own U.S. Legal Permanent Residency depends on the category of sponsorship and whether he/she is applying in the United States or at a U.S. Consulate abroad.