GREEN CARDS & LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS

When it comes to obtaining residency or citizenship lawfully in the United States, few terms are more discussed than the “green card”. A green card is a legal document that grants the holder formal permission to permanently reside in the United States. Green cards are not necessarily easily obtained. It often takes a lot of time and paperwork before the opportunity presents itself. It should be noted that a green card holder is the same thing as a permanent resident, and the terms are often used interchangeably. There are a few different ways that someone can obtain permanent residency status (obtain their green card).

In general, the most common way that green cards are obtained is through a family member or employer already located in the United States. In these instances, the individual or the company can sponsor the immigrant to live and work in the United States. Some people also obtain their green cards via a special status such as individuals seeking asylum or those who are living in the United States as refugees. It is also possible to obtain green cards through certain humanitarian programs, and you can always apply for your own green card, too.

It should be noted that you must maintain your permanent residency status – it is not a right that simply stands in perpetuity once it is granted. You can lose your permanent resident status for a number of reasons. These include things like evading taxes, moving somewhere outside of the United States for longer than one year, or declaring yourself as a nonresident on your tax return. There are also certain crimes you can commit that will result in your status being revoked. Should this occur, you would no longer be able freely conduct business and permanent travel from and to the United States, and you could even be deported.