What Can You Do With A Green Card?
A green card offers non-U.S. citizens an abundance of rights and benefits. Many of these rights and benefits are not available to those who are on a temporary residence visa.
What Is A Green Card?
A green card is a resident card that allows an individual to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. Rather than needing to leave the country or return home at any point in time, those with a green card only need to renew the document every ten-years.
Outside of being able to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis, those who have been issued a green card are entitled to certain rights and benefits. These rights and benefits go far beyond the scope of a temporary residence visa.
What Can You Do With A Green Card?
Men and women who possess a green card can:
- Live permanently in the United States.
- Work at almost any job.
- Own/rent property.
- Go to public school.
- Serve in the United States military.
- Open a bank account.
- Live anywhere in the United States.
- Make use of Social Security benefits.
- Make use of Medicare benefits.
- Receive food stamps.
- Donate to/volunteer with political campaigns
- Apply for naturalization and become an official U.S citizen.
Regarding the latter, by becoming a U.S. citizen, green card holders will be able to:
- Vote in local, state, and federal elections.
- Obtain citizenship for children born in the United States.
- Travel outside of the United States with a U.S. passport.
- Apply for temporary residence visas for immediate family members.
- Work for federal agencies.
- Serve on a jury.
Other rights and benefits, for both green card holders and U.S. citizens, exist. But, these are some of the most notable ones.
What Can’t You Do With A Green Card?
A green card affords legal immigrants a wealth of privileges and opportunities. But, even though this is the case, there are certain things legal immigrants cannot do with a green card.
Some of the things a legal immigrant cannot do with a green card are as follows:
- Vote in local, state, and federal elections.
- Work for most federal agencies and at most federal jobs.
- Have their family members receive visas faster than non-U.S. citizens.
- Forfeit the 10-year renewable process; a green card must be renewed every decade.
- Live outside of the United States for more than one-year.
By becoming a U.S. citizen, those who once held a green card have access to the rights and benefits outlined above.
Speak With An Effective Houston Immigration Lawyer Today
A legal immigrant with a green card can live and work in the United States.
Sure, some possibilities are unavailable to those who hold a green card. But, by and large, legal immigrants still have access to a wealth of possibilities within the United States.
Speak with a skilled Houston immigration lawyer. We will assist you in acquiring your green card and living in the United States.
Source:
dhs.gov/get-green-card
uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-618.pdf
