Legal Question in Immigration Law in Illinois

Permanent resident status (green card) is usually obtained through a qualifying family relationship or employment based relationship. Sometimes a person can obtain LPR status through the diversity visa lottery or refugee/asylum status. Do you have a qualifying relative? An employer who will petition for you? You may want to sit down and discuss your situation with a lawyer and not rely on message boards to resolve this matter.

There is no quick answer to your question. A person cannot get a greencard just by mere physical presence in the United States. If you have a U.S. citizen child over 21, or U.S. citizen spouse, then you may be eligible. I also recommend discussing your situation with an experienced immigration attorney.