What is a green card?
The “green card,” to begin with, is not green. Thousands of people from all over the world have used it as a ticket to a better future, and if you study the law and abide by it, it might be an option for you and your family as well.
The green card is a legal authorization to reside in the US permanently. It is officially known as permanent residency. A foreign national with a green card is a permanent resident who is allowed to live anywhere in the country, work practically anywhere, and travel freely within the country and abroad. Foreigners who are eligible are issued the green card; however, they must also meet the requirements and apply for it.
The benefits of a green card
A green card, which denotes your legitimate permanent residence in the US, has a lot of advantages.
- You are able to live and work anywhere in the US if you have a green card. You are free to relocate from one state to another, change employment as frequently as you’d like, or not have a job at all.
- After five years (or three years if you’re married to a citizen of the United States), those who hold green cards may seek citizenship.
- You can sponsor some family members for visas or green cards if you have your own green card.
- You’ll be qualified for local tuition, which means your college, university, or vocational school tuition costs will be lower.
- You are able to donate money to American elections if you have a green card, , so you can back candidates whose policies would improve your quality of life or with whom you otherwise agree.
- You can enter and exit the United States more freely if you have a green card.
Conditions for applying for a green card
Thousands of immigrants who meet severe requirements receive green cards from the US government each year. For instance, many individuals are granted green cards based on:
- A family connection to a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
- A job offer from a U.S. employer
- A significant investment in a U.S. company $500,000 or more.
- Winning the diversity visa lottery
- Having spent at least a year in the country as a refugee or asylee
- Fitting into one of several categories of so-called special immigrants
Not anyone is qualified to apply for a green card. If you fall into any of these categories, you may begin your green card application.
Rights accompanied by a US Green Card
The legal ability to permanently reside and work in the United States is provided by a green card (as long as they abide by certain terms). Many government positions are open to applicants with green cards, however some are only available to American citizens. Holders of green cards also get a number of health, educational, and other advantages.
Additionally, you can file a petition to have your unmarried children and spouse who was born abroad granted their own green cards. Despite the fact that they will be categorized as “preferred relatives,” they may have to wait in line for a number of years due to annual restrictions on such visas.
Categories of green cards
There are numerous types of green cards. The most prevalent kinds are:
- Green card for families
- Humanitarian green cards with employment requirements
- Long-Term resident green card through the Diversity Lottery
- Other green cards
Limitations Green Card holders need to understand
A green card holder’s status is not completely assured. A lawful permanent resident may lose their status by, among other things, breaking the law, intentionally failing to notify USCIS of address changes, or engaging in another action that falls under one of the grounds for deportation listed in Section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.).
The even broader grounds of inadmissibility listed non Section 212 of the I.N.A. may in some circumstances apply to a green card holder who leaves the country and tries to return. This is particularly problematic if a person stays abroad for more than six months or commits a crime while traveling.
Why a Green Card from the United States expires after ten years
Previously, green cards had no expiration date; however, the USCIS now requires applicants to submit a new application every ten years. Don’t panic; only the card that serves as proof of your permanent residence expires; your permanent residence remains valid.
However, if the green card isn’t renewed, you face the risk of getting into trouble with USCIS if it finds out that you’ve broken the rule requiring you to keep your green card with you at all times.
The two-year expiration date placed on green cards held by conditional residents (those who obtained their status by investment or a recent marriage to a U.S. citizen) should not be confused with the ten-year green card expiration date.
A person’s legal status in the United States may actually expire if that card is allowed to expire. (For people who acquired their status as a result of an investment or a recent marriage to a U.S. citizen). To become a permanent resident, conditional residents must submit Form I-829 (investment-based cases) or Form I-751 (marriage-based cases) 90 days prior to their status expiring.
Maintaining the Green Card
Green cards could get misplaced. They can be lost mostly by disobeying American laws, particularly those pertaining to immigration, drugs, and crimes including assault, rape, theft, and fraud. If a permanent resident stays abroad for more than a year, their green card may be revoked. This is so that a foreign national may live permanently in America with the help of a green card. A rebuttable presumption that the foreigner does not intend to remain in America permanently develops if they do not stay for a year. (However, special authorization may be sought to re-enter the United States after a stay of more than 12 months in cases of crises or other unforeseen situations.) Furthermore, if the permanent resident is outside the country for more than six months out of every twelve, that can raise concerns. Permanent residents must abide by American laws and reside physically inside the country for more than half the year.
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