A US Green card is the term used for an official card that is issued to the applicant by the US Government to allow the applicant to legally work and live in the country of issue, in this instance, the US. The official name for this so called card green US is the form I-551, it is also known as the Permanent Resident Card, which in the past has also been called the Alien Registration Receipt Card. In these days it is now referred to as the card green US, not so much for the cards color today but for the cards color in the past.

To apply for a card green US, you must follow the US immigration process. This particular process has a few steps that must be followed strictly in order to obtain a card green US. You have to be eligible for the green card US under one of the many reasons to become a permanent resident in the US. To become a resident of the US you could have a sponsor fill in what is known as, an immigrant visa petition. It could be filled in by an employer, which is a sponsor for you or by a relative. Some people applying for a card green US may fill in the petition themselves, people such as investors, priority workers and other such people.

Should you be applying for a card green US based on your employment, then the employer you have in the US may also need to fill in a labor certification request through the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Admin. Should you already reside in the United States and you are waiting for you card green Us, you will still need an immigrant visa number to hand. Also if you already live in the United States, you can also apply to change your permanent resident status when the immigrant visa number is then available to you. If by chance you are not in the United States when you receive your immigrant number, you then go to the closest US Consulate to you to finish off applying for the card green US.

Being successful in getting a card green Us depends on some of the following factors, such as family reuniting, needing particular working skills, creating employment and also for the refugees and asylum seekers. There is also what is known as a lottery of visas, this is for the applicants that come from some countries that are known to have low numbers and rates of immigration to the United States of America. An immigrant number will be available straight away for any one who has direct relatives in the United States, therefore they are likely to get a card green US quicker than most people. Other relatives have to then wait to get a card green US based on the rolling preference system that the US use to hand out their card green US.

It can be a long drawn out process for some to get their card green US, but it can be worth the wait for most people who do apply for such visas.

Known as the “Land of Immigrants”, the United States Immigration sets its immigration policies for anybody’s disposal. Americans and foreign nationals who want to earn their visa and eventually land as lawful immigrants, whether to seek peace or prosperity, ought to understand pretty well American authority at once. Throughout the years, the issue toward immigrating in the US has been welcome by many people who desire to go for greener pasture and live the American dream. However, after the 9/11, the security imposed by the Immigration of the United States and the immigration laws were never as stringent as before.

The Categories and Services Provided by United States Immigration

In particular, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency is perhaps the most-visited government agencies in the US. Its main objective is to oversee that lawful implementation of the agency’s laws and regulations, protecting its citizens and its immigrants. US citizens and foreign nationals visit the Immigration Office to process or settle concerns regarding their citizenship, working visas and permit, and green cards among others. The following are the categories of people seeking assistance and the kinds of services they are provided with as they process important documents at the Immigration Office:
1.    Working in the US: employers and employees information, permanent workers, temporary workers or the nonimmigrant, temporary visitors for business, student and exchange visitors
2.    Family: family of US Citizens, family of permanent residents or green card holders, family of refugees and asylees
3.    Green Card or Permanent Residents: green card through family, green card through job, green card through refugee or asylee status, the categories under: “other ways to get a green card,” the services provided after granting the green card (replacement of green card, renew a green card, maintaining permanent residence, etc)
4.    Visit the US: extension of stay, change of non-immigrant status
5.    Citizenship: citizenship through naturalization, citizenship through parents, and regulations for naturalization test
6.    Adoption
7.    Humanitarian: refugees and asylum, humanitarian parole, battered spouse, children and parents, victims of human trafficking and other crimes, and dealing with special situations
8.    Military: citizenship for military members and dependants, military help line

United States Immigration sees to it that they deliver and provide accurate and helpful information to its customers as they seek grants for their citizenship benefits. immigration staff and offices also provide and promote awareness and understanding of citizenship while making sure that their reputation and integrity system is not at all tarnished or suffering from any threats of unlawfulness.

With the massive manpower from the United States Immigration, including the 250 offices around the world, its mission to achieve strategic goals is not impossible at all. Living with the core values namely integrity, respect, ingenuity, and constant vigilance, only the highest quality of services are provided. With this fact, the image of the United States Immigration as a strengthened immigration system that provides flexible and sound immigration policies and programs is always looked up to. Those who are seeking Immigration services and assistance will not search in vain.

Getting your green card application approved is like winning the lottery, you get completely overwhelmed and just have earned the strength to live and fulfill your dreams in the world’s most powerful country. Permanent residency in the US would mean gaining your immigration rights and benefits given to every US citizen—from health benefits, job and career opportunities, education benefits, to other security assistance given to all US permanent residents. To enjoy such kinds of benefits, it is a must that you work on processing papers and submit all the necessary requirements in getting a green card. Sooner or later, you will be starting a life anew in the United States, just as what you have dreamed and hoped living.

Aliens and their Green Cards

Aliens, the term used for identifying foreign nationals seek green card application to attest their status of being a permanent US citizen. The green card which also serves as the identification card is used as a proof of lawful permanent residency in the country that allows the holder to live and work in the US. For the uninitiated, green card application can be lengthy at times. However, the immigration office can provide temporary permits to those encountering certain problems in applying for their green card.

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

The program called Diversity Immigrant Visa is a congressionally mandated lottery program that is held annually to award 50,000 people their green cards or permanent residency cards. This program administered by the Department of State identifies immigrants from countries that have low immigration numbers of US immigrants. In the end they become eligible green card holders and like ordinary US citizens, they too, gain the rights entitled for every US citizen. The eligible immigrants would refer to people who are employed, have family sponsorship, and immediate relatives. If you plan to join the lottery, you have to be up-to-date and informed about the schedule set of the lottery. Applying for diversity immigration visa and green card application are both interesting and challenging feat.

Green Card Application: The Usual Way, a Useful Guide

Qualifying for green card application maybe out of luck but it is mainly dependent of meeting the requirements. Anybody working in the US gets qualified the same as the person who has a permanent resident relative. There are various applications that one should know though. There are applications that are most likely to get approved and there are those that may take longer than normal. If the application is based on employment, to have a working visa is already an achievement. Once the green car application is approved, the holder gets to live in the US permanently, work in the US, travel abroad for a specific period of time, become a US citizen, and then gain the right to petition relatives, spouse, and children aged 21 below. Moreover, green card through adoption, marriage, investment, special immigration, and other special conditions are also lawful, hence, candidates under these categories can also apply.

Specific Means to Get a Green Card

There are other means to get a green card. The following categories are found at US Citizenship and Immigration website and these categories will give candidates useful idea and information about what are in store for them in case they want to apply for permanent residence. The categories are:

1.    Amerasian Child of a U.S. Citizen
2.    American Indian Born in Canada
3.    Armed Forces Member
4.    Cuban Native or Citizen
5.    Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
6.    Haitian Refugee
7.    Indochinese Parole Adjustment Act
8.    Informant (S Nonimmigrant)
9.    Lautenberg Parolee
10.    Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act
11.    Person Born to Foreign Diplomat in United States
12.    Registry
13.    Diplomat
14.    Special Immigrant Juvenile
15.    Victim of Criminal Activity (U Nonimmigrant)
16.    Victim of Trafficking (T Nonimmigrant)

After the green card USA is granted to all permanent residents, a proof is given. The proof is an authorization to live and work in the United States. Permanent residents who are 18 years of age or older must have a valid green card with them all the time. This means they should always bring the card with them. The current green cards issued by the Immigration are valid for 10 years. Conditional residents on the other hand are given 2 years, thus, they are required to make renewal before the green card’s expiration date.

Green card is used as approval for employment eligibility. It is used in Social Security Card application and is required when applying for driver’s license. Being a green card USA holder entitles the holder to have their rights as well as manage their responsibilities as US permanent residents. The holder has the duties and obligations to abide by US laws and constitution as they cope with their everyday life in the United States.

Applying for green card USA is somewhat a challenging endeavor, hence it is encouraged that applicants should understand and learn the multi-step process of getting a green card. This way, they will be equipped with the right information and complete the task in time.