Following is the question I was searching answer for..
Once at Microsoft, could I just tell legal I wish to apply for a Green Card, or are there certain requirements (e.g. must have at least one evaluation, or most have worked for at least a year, etc.) ?
And the answer is,
"YES"... :-) Anyone who has worked at worked at Microsoft for a minimum of one year may seek to obtain permanent residence (i.e. a "green card") under Microsoft's sponsorship.
Now, of course, there are exceptions to every rule, so before starting the process, the employee should consult with his/her manager, who makes the initial sponsorship decision based on a number of factors including performance, long term potential, and the employee's current visa situation. I have seen a handful of cases where the greencard process was started early (because they would run out of time on the remaining visa) and also a handful of cases where it was delayed for poor performance. But aside from the few exceptions," the rule is one year for all employees. When you join Microsoft, we want to make sure we can keep you working here with us for a long, long time ...
I got above answer from one of the MS recruiter at USA..