A green card is an identification card issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to individuals who are granted permanent residency in the United States. Holders of green cards have the right to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely. The term ‘green card’ originated because these cards were green in color from 1950 to 1964, and as of 2010, they reverted back to this iconic hue.
Key Takeaways
- The green card is the official ID for permanent residents in the U.S.
- The green card lottery distributes up to 55,000 permanent visas to individuals from various countries annually.
- Legal permanent residents must carry their green card at all times or face potential fines or jail time.
- Green cards must be renewed every 10 years.
How a Green Card Works
Individuals may qualify for a green card through several channels such as family relationships, employment, refugee or asylee status, and various other special programs. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (also known as the green card lottery) allocates up to 55,000 visas each year through a lottery system prioritized for underrepresented countries. Furthermore, substantial investments in U.S. ventures can also enable an investor to achieve permanent resident status.
Requirements for a Green Card
Permanent residents aged 18 and older are legally required to carry their green card at all times or risk fines up to $100 or 30 days in jail. While cards are generally issued with a 10-year validity period and must be renewed, cards issued between 1979 and 1989 do not expire. Conditional permanent residents, such as those who have obtained their status through recent marriages or investments, need to petition to remove their conditional status 90 days before their card’s expiration.
The Green Card Lottery System
The U.S. government runs the green card lottery system under the name Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV), officially launched in 1994 though it existed in earlier forms since 1986. Designed to foster national diversity, the lottery system aims to provide a chance for immigration to individuals from countries with historically low rates of U.S. immigration.
How It Works
The program currently issues over 55,000 visas annually. Countries with more than 50,000 migrants to the U.S. over the last five years are ineligible. If one spouse wins the lottery, the other spouse and any unmarried children under 21 will also be granted green cards, provided they are listed on the original application. Applications are highly competitive; in 2018 alone, around 23 million entered the lottery but only about 116,000 applicants were issued visas.
Related Terms: Visa, Permanent Resident Alien, Citizenship, Immigration.
References
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “Green Card Eligibility Categories”.
- U.S. Department of State. “Instructions for the 2023 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program”.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program”.
- U.S. Congress. “Immigration and Nationality Act”, Page 366.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “LPR- Lost, Stolen or Expired Green Cards or Has No Expiration Date”.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “How Do I Renew or Replace My Permanent Resident Card?”
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “Conditional Permanent Residence”.
- U.S. Department of State. “DV 2018 - Selected Entrants”.
