Enjoying Your Permanent Residence

Keeping and Enjoying Your Permanent Residence

After the long and challenging process of obtaining a U.S. green card (lawful permanent residence), you probably want to do your best to keep it. And that means more than just avoiding a losing the card itself. Unless you learn your responsibilities as a lawful permanent resident, and make sure not to get into any legal or other trouble, you risk losing your right to the green card and ultimately being removed from the United States and prevented from returning for many years.

By protecting and maintaining your green card status, you may ultimately become eligible for U.S. citizenship (usually within five years). U.S. citizenship is a much more secure status in the United States, and comes with many additional benefits.

How to Prove You Are a U.S. Resident

After your green card is issued, immigration laws require that you carry it with you at all times. You should also make copies in the event the card is lost. The copy will help when applying for a replacement card from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Renewing or Replacing Green Cards

Once you receive U.S. permanent residence, you remain a permanent resident until you abandon your residence or are deported. But it's also important to be able to prove your status, with a physical green card -- the identity document that shows your photo and name.

How a Green Card Holder Can Get a Visa for a Spouse

Can a permanent resident get a visa for his or her spouse? The answer is yes, foreign spouses of U.S. green card holders (people with lawful permanent residence) are eligible for immigration under the family second preference category (2A).

This is true for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples, so long as the marriage is legally recognized in the state or country where it took place.

If you have any questions regarding Enjoying Your Permanent Residence or any other immigration topic, Please contact LEGiTiGO, today