The most important milestone for the first generation of immigrants to realize the American dream is to obtain the US Green Card and become a permanent resident of the United States.So, after obtaining the US green card after thousands of hardships, what important things cannot be forgotten?
After reading this article, you will learn more in detail:
Directory of this article
- What do you need to do after getting a green card?
- Welfare of American Green Card Holders
- Obligations of American Green Card holders
- The difference between American green card and American citizens
- Green card update
- common problem
What do you need to do after getting a green card?
After getting the green card, you must not forget the following things:
1.Save A-NUMBER/USCIS
Each green card will have the only corresponding A-Number or USCIS#, this number Just as important as your SSN number Essence
You better remember, or make a backup.If your green card is lost, you need this number to contact uscis.
2.Keep the green card identity
American green card is a “Immigrant Status” that needs to live in the United States for a long time.
The following situations may make you lose your immigration status and be revoked to the green card 【literature】 The
- Move to other countries for a long time
- Report taxes as Non-Resident
- It’s too long to leave the United States
Overall, as a permanent American resident, Temporary Absence will not affect your green card status.The most important factor in maintaining a green card is whether you have The intention of long-term residence in the United States(Intention).
if you Leave American time More than six months You need to contact your immigrant lawyer to further understand the long-term departure and the impact on maintaining green cards and green cards to citizens.
According to USCIS’s expression【source】The conventional judgment standard is that if you are not in the United States for one year, then even give up the status of green cards.Sometimes, although the departure time is less than one year, it may also be considered to give up the status of a green card.The most important thing is to see if you still continue The intention of long-term life in the United States EssenceThe following content may prove your intention to continue living in the United States:
- There are relatives in the United States
- There are still jobs in the United States, or companies in the United States
- Infackage in the United States
- There is a resident address in the United States
- There is a bank account
- With American driver’s license
- There is property in the United States
- If the company is located abroad for a while, it can allow American employers to issue a written proof, indicating that the time, purpose, and task completion of the short-term departure will return
- etc …
If it is determined, howver, that you did not intend to make the united states your perManent home, you will be found to have AbandononEd Resident Stat Stat US.A General Guide used is who you have ben ablicing from the united stateS for more thanA Year.Abandonment May Be Found to Occur in Trips of LESS THAN A Year WHERE IS Beliefed You Did Not In account to make the united States your PerManent Residence.
International Travel as a Permanent Resident, USCIS
If you leave the United States for more than one year, you will not be able to return to the United States with a green card:
- If the itinerary is planned, you need to apply “Re-intry Permit” from USCIS before leaving the United States to return to the United States again.You need to fill in I-131 form; Please note that “Re-intry Permit” cannot guarantee you can enter the United States.Customs officials still have to review you The intention of long-term residence in the United States Items
- If people are already outside the United States, they can apply for “Returning Resident Visa” (SB-1) outside the US Embassy outside the United States.The intention of long-term residence in the United States.
Note: There are still many differences between maintaining the conditions of the green card and the requirements of the green card to citizens.If you want to apply for American citizens, you need to meet the conditions of “Continuous Residence” and “Physical Presence”.For specific content, please check the article “How to turn a green card to citizen: How long does it take to enter the United States?”
3.Application/update social security card
If you have no social security number (SSN), you need to go to the local Social Security Administration Office as soon as possible, you need to handle it in person.
Before getting a green card, if you already have SSN, the SSN generally has restrictions (RESTRiction), for example, it may be marked with “Valid for Work Only with DHS Authorization”, because your SSN is because you are in you in youObtained in the United States.
Then when you get the US green card, you need to update your social security card, and the social security number will not change, but the new card will not have the words “Valid for Work Only with DHS Authorization”.
You may need the following materials ( check the detail information)),:,
- fill in SS-5 table Items
- U.S.green card;
- Certificate of age (for example, Chinese passport);
4.Register for military service
An American male aged 18 to 25, within 30 days of the 18th birthday, needs to register for a green card holder.
If you get a green card before your 26th birthday, you must register for military service.
The volunteer military service system currently adopted in the United States is not forced to serve military service.Therefore, although you need to register for military service, it is not to say that you need to take military service immediately.This is mainly time when it is applied to the national emergency state, and you need to recruit you.
It is a felony to meet the conditions and does not register for military service.Possible punishments include a fine of less than 5 years and a fine of up to $ 250,000.
You can register on the official website below:
5.If you move, you need to update the address
If you move, you need to be Within 10 days Notify the U.S.Immigration Department (USCIS).
You can fill in form AR-11, complete online, completely free.Please check USCIS main station Essence
Note: This requirement is suitable for all non-American nationals in the family and age of 14 years old, and each person needs to fill in a form AR-11 form, not a family submitting one.
- If the child is already an American citizen or a non-14-year-old non-citizen, then the child does not need to fill in the AR-11 form;
If you have not updated the address to the USCIS in time, you may be punished by criminal and civil penalties, as well as deported.
6.Pay taxes according to Resident
If you have lived in the United States more than a certain year before you get a green card, you may have reported taxes according to Resident.
If you still pay taxes at Non-Resident before, then, starting from getting a green card, you need to report taxes according to Resident.
For the specific tax reporting method, please check the article “U.S.Tax DIY” Essence
7.Always carry a green card
You need to always ( at all times) Carry your green card with you, if not done, you may go to jail or be fined.
8.Keep all the materials sent by USCIS
You still need to keep all the materials sent by USCIS to you, including all “APPROVAL Notices” and so on.
Welfare of American Green Card Holders
After obtaining the US green card, you will become a legal permanent American resident and can enjoy the following benefits:
- You can live and work permanently in the United States, so you no longer have to worry about your job status;
- Green card holders can apply to become American citizens after meeting certain conditions;
- For short-term departure, you can return to the United States smoothly (there are certain conditions, such as the time from the United States cannot exceed one year);
- You can buy and have guns, of course, you must comply with the laws of your state;
- You can apply for a green card for your spouse, or unmarried children;
- You can get the social security number SSN;
- Eligible green card holders can enjoy Medicare;
- You can join some departments of the US army;
In addition, after getting a US green card, you no longer need to apply for a visa to access Canada, Mexico and other countries.If you want to know a country that can be visa-free with a US green card, please read the article “Detailed Explanation of American Green Card Visa-free State” Essence
Obligations of American Green Card holders
While permanent residents of the United States enjoy benefits, they also need to bear certain obligations:
- If you are 18 ~ 25 years old, you need Register(SELECTIVE Service Registration);
- Need to maintain your immigration status;
- If you move, the new address must be Notify USCIS Items
- Report tax according to the status of “Resident”;
- Always carry the “permanent resident” certificate.
The difference between American green card and American citizens
The biggest difference between permanent American residents and American citizens is: Permanent residents in the United States still maintain the original international and hold passports of the original country (such as Chinese passports, Indian passports); and American citizens will hold American passports Essence
More different points are as follows:
- Green card holders do not have the right to vote, while American citizens have the right to vote;
- Green card holders need to notify USCIS within 10 days of moving, and American citizens do not need;
- The green card holds the United States for a long time, and American citizens have no such restrictions;
- Holders of green cards outside the United States cannot enjoy the protection of American citizens in the US Embassy;
- Green card holders can only join a part of the US military department, while American citizens can compete for more positions;
- If the Green Card holder violates certain laws, it may be deported, and the saying that American citizens do not have being deported;
- Whether the green card holder needs a visa to enter other countries still depends on your current nationality, and other countries entering other countries in the United States will be based on the immigration agreement between the United States and the countries they enter;
- If the green card holder is not converted into a citizen, you need to update the green card every 10 years, and you need to keep all the materials sent by the USCIS, while the American citizen does not need it;
- Green card holders can apply for a green card for their spouse and unmarried children (unlimited age).When applying, the category follows the “Preference Relates” category, and the application time is long.You can also apply for a green card for parents, and they all belong to the category application of “ImmediaTe Relatives”.The waiting time is very short.You can also apply for immigration visas over 21 years of age, but you can apply for the “Preference Relates” category.
| Green card | U.S.citizens | |
| ImmediaTe Relates (Fast application) | Bleak | parents spouse Unmarried children aged 21 and below |
| Preference related (Slow application) | parents spouse Anyone-unmarried children | Unmarried children over 21 years old |
After obtaining the US green card, you can plan to become a U.S.citizen.For detailed information about the green card to citizens, please check the article “How to turn the green card to citizen: the detailed explanation of naturalization” Essence
Green card update
The validity period of the US green card (here is the card that can be held in your hand) is 10 years, but your identity as a permanent citizen in the United States is not only 10 years.
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