Who is a Green Card holder (Permanent Resident)?

Green Card holder (permanent resident) is someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is granted a permanent resident card, commonly called a “Green Card.” You can become a permanent resident several different ways. Most individuals are sponsored by a family member or employer in the United States.

The steps to becoming a Green Card holder (permanent resident) vary by category and depend on whether you currently live inside or outside the United States. The main categories are:

• Green Card Through Family
• Green Card Through a Job
• Other Ways to Get a Green Card

HELPFUL INFORMATION

• Welcome to the U.S.: A Guide for New Immigrants (USCIS) 
• How Do I Get a Reentry Permit? (USCIS)
• USCIS To Issue Redesigned Green Card – Fact Sheet (May 11, 2010)
• USCIS To Issue Redesigned Green Card – Q & A (May 11, 2010)
• USCIS to Issue Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card for Adjustment of Status Applicants
• USCIS – Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements for Naturalization