The identification card provided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to permanent residents who are lawfully allowed to live and work in the United States indefinitely is known as a green card. The moniker “green cards” came from the fact that they were green from 1946 to 1964. They turned green again in 2010, but the term “green cards” stuck through the decades of blue, pink, and yellow “green cards.”
Vital Kay Points
- The green card is a document that allows immigrants to remain in the United States permanently.
- If a permanent resident does not have their green card on them, they may be fined or imprisoned.
- Up to 55,000 annual permanent visas are given offered in the green card lottery to people from various nations.
- Every ten years, the cards must be renewed.
History Background of Green Card
In 1933, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was established as part of the Department of Labor, but with the passage of the Nationality Act of 1940, it was transferred to the Department of Justice. The “Alien Registration Receipt Card” was the forerunner to the “Permanent Resident” card in the 1940s, with “Perm.Res” written on the back in line with the Immigration Act of 1924.
“This is to attest that [Lennon] has been duly registered according to the law and was admitted to the United States as an immigrant,” according to a 1976 card issued by the INS to John Lennon.
“The term ‘alien’ denotes any individual who is not a citizen or national of the United States,” according to the INA, which was enacted by the United States Congress in 1952.
The Process of Obtaining a Green Card
Individuals may be eligible for a green card based on their family, employment, refugee or asylee status, or a variety of other factors. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, for example, allocates 50,000 visas each year to underrepresented countries through a lottery method. An investor who invests above a particular level may qualify for permanent residency. Green cards can also be granted by the Director of Central Intelligence.
The Process of Obtaining a Green Card
Permanent residents aged 18 and up must keep their green cards on them at all times or face penalties or jail time. A fine of up to $100 or 30 days in prison may be imposed. Green card copies are not accepted as proof. Except for those issued from 1977 to 1989, which never expire, the cards expire after ten years and must be renewed. Green cards must be renewed every two years for conditional permanent residents who have obtained legal status through a recent marriage or investment.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, or Diversity Program, is the official name for the green card lottery system (DV). The first one was conducted in 1994, however the program has been running under several guises and with smaller budgets since 1986. The purpose of this system in the United States is to allow countries with low immigration rates to the United States an opportunity to acquire a green card. It also pays reference to America’s history as a melting pot of cultures.
The DV program currently distributes over 55,000 visas per year. Countries with more than 50,000 legal immigrants to the United States in the previous five years are not eligible to join. If your spouse wins, you will receive a green card as well, as long as you are registered, and all unmarried children under the age of 21 will receive one as well. To be eligible to win, your family must be listed on the application.
Investing in the United States to Gain Residency
As previously stated, certain investments may qualify you for permanent residency in the United States. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is the name of the program. You must be physically present in the United States and eligible for an immigrant VISA to be eligible. It is currently being modernized, with new rules set to take effect on November 21, 2019.
Currently, an EB-5 applicant must invest $1 million in a beneficial business that will create at least ten full-time jobs for qualified individuals. The total sum available for economically distressed communities is $500,000. Both amounts necessitate the creation of ten full-time employment. Foreign investors and entrepreneurs must contribute $1.8 million and $900,000, respectively, under the new restrictions.