The term green card is the casual lingo for the United States Permanent Resident Card because of the green color of some earlier variations while new release are back to this color. Sometimes it is also used to refer to the process of obtaining permanent residency status. This is issued to an alien in the United States as a proof that he is a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). Green card holders are given two main benefits: they can take employment inside the country and they are also allowed to be residents of the United States. This is far different from the naturalization process as a naturalized citizen is given more exclusive rights enjoyed by natural-born Americans such as the right to vote and at some extent, the right to hold public office. These rights are not granted to a green card holder. The government also reserves the right to revoke an aliens resident status if certain conditions were violated or on the basis of non-compliance to some conditions.
Initially, green cards were issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). However, a revamp of the government organizations lead to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) absorbing the INS. Later on, BCIS became this days U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This department still handles green card application and issuance.
In some instances, a foreigner arrives in the country to work with his or her green card application still on process. The things needed to be done are for the alien to obtain Employment Authorization Document (EAD) which serves as his or her temporary work permit in the United States and a travel document that authorizes the person re-entry to the Untied States.
Green card holders or a Lawful Permanent Resident can apply for Naturalization after 5 years of residency in the United States. On top of that, the applicant should never have left the country for more than a year. If the foreigner is married to a US citizen, the time required fro residency is three years and asylum grantees seeking for naturalization should have completed four years of being a green card holder. There are several kinds of how to obtain a permanent residence status which we will be discussing one at a time.
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