USA Green Card Visa

This articles provides step-by-step green card process and green card application information for those who want to start their green card processing to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

What is a Green Card?

A Green Card, or Permanent Resident Card, is a permanent visa for USA. A green card gives you the status of a permanent resident along with legal rights to work in USA. Once you have a green card, you may apply for USA citizenship after a few years of staying in the USA. The green card does not affect your present citizenship status. Typically, a green card is issued for 10 years, but it can be renewed by submitting a green card renewal application.

What are the benefits of being a Green Card holder?

A green card gives you permanent US resident status, which allows you to:

• Reside in the US
• Buy your own house or property in the US
• Travel between the US and your country or origin without a visitor/business visa
• Seek employment and work in the US without any other visa or work authorization.
• Register your own company and run your own business in the US
• Study in the US
• Sponsor family members for US immigrant visas
• Apply for US citizenship after 5 years of residing in the US

Your US green card also gives you the same rights as an American citizen, including all protection from the US Federal, State, and Local laws on par with any US citizen, while at the same time allowing you to also retain your citizenship in your native country.

What are the different ways to get a green card?

There are 5 main ways an individual can obtain permanent residency or green card for United States:

• Green Card through Employer (Employment Based Green Card: EB1, EB2, EB3 Green Card Categories)
• Investment Based Green Card
• Family Based Green Card (including Marriage Based Green Card)
• Green Card Lottery
• Green Card through Asylum & Refugee status

Based on the green card category under which you are applying, your green card application process will vary. For example, most employment based green card categories require an employment offer and a petitioning employer, while others allow you to self-petition (file your own green card application).

Green Card Facts

• Green card doesn't mean citizenship. However, you may be eligible to apply for US citizenship after holding green card status for a certain period of time.
• Green card is not issued for life. It is for a specific period, which is normally for 10 years. You need to revalidate it after that limit.
• You must meet certain conditions in order to maintain green card status.
• You will automatically lose your green card status if you stay outside the US for more than one continuous year.
• You must file US Federal tax returns along with any applicable state or local tax returns. As per immigration laws, permanent residents who fail to submit tax returns may have their permanent resident status revoked.

After Green Card

• Retaining your green card
• Re-entry permit (travel document)
• Green card replacement
• Green card renewal