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