Are you an immigrant who is interested in obtaining a Green Card? If so, that’s a worthy endeavor because Green Cards offer many advantages. Once you receive a Green Card, you’ll be authorized to find a job and live here in the United States. Immigrants use Green Cards to: 1) prove to employers that they are eligible to work in the United States, 2) apply for a Social Security Card, and 3) apply for a state-issued driver’s license. Also, a Green Card is necessary to re-enter the United States if you decide to take a trip abroad. However, you cannot leave the U.S. for more than one year. If your trip will last longer than one year, you’ll be required to obtain a reentry permit.
Two Types of Green Cards
In the U.S., we have two types of Green Cards: The two-year Green Card and the ten-year Green Card. The two-year Green Card is not renewable. If the conditions are not removed, you will lose your status as a permanent residence. The ten-year Green Card on the other hand, is valid for ten years and must be renewed before it expires. Two-year Green Card:
- If you become a “conditional permanent resident,” your Green Card is only good for two years. For you to remain a family-based conditional permanent resident, you need to file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence within 90 days of your card’s expiration date.
- If you become an “investor/entrepreneur-based conditional resident,” you have to file a Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions within 90 days of your card’s expiration date.
Ten-Year Green Card:
- If you obtain a ten-year Green Card, our advice is to begin the renewal process six months before the card’s expiration date. You do this by filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card.
“If you are a permanent resident age 18 or older, you are required to have a valid Green Card in your possession at all times,” according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To apply for a Green Card or for help renewing one, contact our Plano immigration firm today!
