Green Card

Extracted Attributes

• Purpose

  Signifies lawful permanent residency in the United States

• Official Name

  Permanent Resident Card

• Historical Color

  Greenish

• Historical Name 1

  Certificate of Alien Registration

• Historical Name 2

  Alien Registration Receipt Card

• Primary Issuing Authority

  United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

• Automatic U.S. Citizenship

  For those under 18 with at least one U.S. citizen parent

• Other Granting Authorities

  Immigration judges, Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), authorized federal judges

• Current Holders (as of 2024)

  Approximately 12.8 million

• Eligibility for U.S. Citizenship

  Continuous residency (1-5 years) and good moral character

• Application Form for Immigrant Workers

  Form I-140

• Application Form for Renewal/Replacement

  Form I-90

• Application Form for Adjustment of Status

  Form I-485

• Holders in U.S. Armed Forces (as of 2024)

  Approximately 18,700

• Eligible for U.S. Citizenship (as of 2024)

  Nearly 9 million

• Consequence of Certain Criminal Convictions

  Removability from the United States (especially serious crimes or aggravated felonies)

• Family-based Green Card Filing Fee (inside U.S.)

  $3005

• Family-based Green Card Filing Fee (outside U.S.)

  $1340

• Wait Time for Spouses of U.S. Green Card Holders (outside U.S.)

  35 months

• Wait Time for Spouses/Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens (outside U.S.)

  14.5 months

Timeline

• Formerly known as 'certificate of alien registration' or 'alien registration receipt card'. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  Historical

• Legally required for all aliens over 18 to carry, with penalties for non-compliance (e.g., $100 fine or 30 days imprisonment). (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  Historical

• Estimated 12.8 million Green Card holders in the U.S. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2024

• Estimated 9 million Green Card holders eligible to become U.S. citizens. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2024

• Approximately 18,700 Green Card holders serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2024

• Representative Ro Khanna advocates for better pathways to Green Cards for skilled workers to retain top talent in the U.S. (Source: Related Documents)

  Ongoing

Green card

A green card, known officially as a permanent resident card, is an identity document which shows that a person has permanent residency in the United States. Green card holders are formally known as lawful permanent residents (LPRs). As of 2024, there are an estimated 12.8 million green card holders, of whom almost 9 million are eligible to become United States citizens. Approximately 18,700 of them serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Green card holders are statutorily entitled to apply for U.S. citizenship after showing by a preponderance of the evidence that they, among other things, have continuously resided in the United States for one to five years and are persons of good moral character. Those who are younger than 18 years old automatically derive U.S. citizenship if they have at least one U.S. citizen parent. The card is known as a "green card" because of its historical greenish color. It was formerly called a "certificate of alien registration" or an "alien registration receipt card". Absent exceptional circumstances, 'Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d). Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both'. Green card applications are decided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), but in some cases an immigration judge or a member of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), acting on behalf of the U.S. Attorney General, may grant permanent residency in the course of removal proceedings. Any authorized federal judge may do the same by signing and issuing an injunction. Immigrant workers who would like to obtain a green card can apply using form I-140. An LPR could become "removable" from the United States after suffering a criminal conviction, especially if it involved a particularly serious crime or an aggravated felony "for which the term of imprisonment was completed within the previous 15 years".

Web Search Results

• How to Apply for a Green Card

  | In the United States | Adjustment of status with USCIS | * If you already have an approved immigrant petition and an immigrant visa is available, file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status with USCIS, or * If you do not currently have an approved immigrant petition, check the eligibility requirements for your Green Card category to see if you can file the petition and the Form I‑485 together at the same time (this is known as concurrent filing). If you already submitted a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and your case is pending with USCIS, go to our While Your Green Card Application Is Pending with USCIS page for more information on checking your case status, updating your address, and making appointments with USCIS.

• Green Card

  **Official websites use .gov** A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. # Green Card Having a Green Card (officially known as a Permanent Resident Card allows you to live and work permanently in the United States. The steps you must take to apply for a Green Card will vary depending on your individual situation. ### Green Card Eligibility Categories ### Green Card Process and Procedures Read about the general processes and procedures to help you apply for a Green Card. ### How to Apply for a Green Card Thinking about applying for a Green Card? ### While Your Green Card Application is Pending with USCIS ### Replace Your Green Card Learn more about how and when to replace your Green Card.

• Green card

  | Visas and policies | * Visa policy + Permanent residence (Green card) + Visa Waiver Program + Temporary protected status (TPS) + Asylum + Green Card Lottery + Central American Minors * Employment authorization document (EAD card) * Deferred action * Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) * Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) * Parole "Parole (United States immigration)") * Keeping Families Together (KFT) "Keeping Families Together (United States immigration policy)") * Adjustment of status * US-VISIT * Security Advisory Opinion * E-Verify * National Origins Formula * Expedited removal * Detention + Family + Unaccompanied children * Trump administration family separation policy * Trump travel ban |

• Permanent Resident (Green) Card and immigrant visas

  An official website of the United States government **Official websites use .gov** A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. # Permanent Resident (Green) Card and immigrant visas Learn about the Diversity Visa Lottery and other ways to apply for an immigrant visa. Find out how to get, renew, or replace a Green Card and become a permanent resident. Learn how to get a Permanent Resident (Green) Card, whether inside or outside the U.S. * ## How to renew or replace your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) Learn how to renew, correct, or replace your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) using Form I-90.

• The Green Card, Explained

  For spouses and immediate relatives (parents and minor children) of U.S. citizens applying from outside the United States via consular processing, the wait is currently **14.5 months.** All other green card categories are subject to country caps, and wait times vary dramatically. For spouses of U.S. green card holders applying from outside the United States, the current wait is **35 months**. The government filing fee for a family-based green card is **$3005** for an applicant applying from within the United States, and **$1340** for an applicant living outside the United States. * They must *not* have refused to help investigate or prosecute certain crimes from the time they received a U visa until USCIS approves (or denies) their green card application.

• Award

  Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Instance Of

  Q11424