What is a “green card?
A Green Card is an Immigrant Visa which legally entitles the holder to work and live permanently in the United States of America. There is NO time restriction as long as the holder is a permanent resident in the USA. The holder has the same rights and benefits as a US Citizen except the holder cannot vote or run for President. This is why a US Green Card is the most sought after document in the world! A new Green Card could literally change a holder’s life significantly for the better. It is issued in a similar form/size to a credit card.
A green card, also known as a greencard, is a document that identifies someone who is not a US citizen but has been given permission to live in the US permanently – it is also called a US Permanent Resident card. At one point, the green card was actually green, but, like the used-car guide known as the ‘blue book’, it has been various colors throughout the years. Today’s green card is white. The permanent resident non-citizen must carry his or her green card at all times since it may be necessary to prove that they are in the country legally. It can also be used to prove residency status when applying for work. Non-permanent resident aliens need an Employment Authorization Document to be legally hired by a US employer, but the holder of a green card has implicit employment authorization. The green card is for many the first step on the road to naturalization and full US citizenship, and is highly sought after. The official green card has a number of anti-forgery features to prevent it
Broadly speaking there are to type of visas issued to any person coming to the United States : non – immigrant and immigrant. Some of the non immigrant categories are students, Temporary Work permits and Exchange . Immigrant visa are for people immigrating i.e. people “settling down” in the United States. The document issued after immigration formalities are concluded is an Alien Resident Permit commonly known as a “Green Card”. It allows the holder to work in the United States. A Green Card holder also can leave and reenter the United States with no restrictions, provided the maximum length of stay outside the United States is not longer than 180 days (6 months) at any one time. After five years of Green Card the holder can apply for citizenship to the United States.
“Green card” is a term often used to refer to lawful permanent residence in the United States. Lawful permanent residents have the right to live and work indefinitely in the United States, as well as to petition for certain family members to get green cards. Lawful permanent residence is also the first step towards becoming a citizen of the U.S. (“naturalizing”). There are a number of different ways to become a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., including through a family member, through an employer, by being granted asylum or refugee status, or through the diversity visa lottery.
“Green card” is a term often used to refer to lawful permanent residence in the United States. Lawful permanent residents have the right to live and work indefinitely in the United States, as well as to petition for certain family members to get green cards. Lawful permanent residence is also the first step towards becoming a citizen of the US (“naturalizing”). There are a number of different ways to become a lawful permanent resident of the US, including through a family member, through an employer, by being granted asylum or refugee status, or through the diversity visa lottery.
