What is the use of American green card? How can I get it?

Many people want to get an American green card. What is a green card? Are you an American citizen when you get a green card?

Experts dispel doubts:

The green card is the proof that the United States grants immigrants permanent residency in the United States. Green card holders call them permanent residents, but they are not equal to American citizens. American citizens have the following advantages over permanent residents:

1. Because the United States and many countries have visa-free agreements, it will be more convenient to travel to other countries with American passports;

2. Being able to apply for immigration for parents, spouse children or even brothers and sisters as American citizens;

You can enjoy the same treatment as American citizens in all aspects, such as medical insurance, various subsidies, the right to vote and so on.

These rights also bring corresponding obligations to naturalized citizens. Applicants for naturalization must swear to renounce all loyalty to their country of origin; Support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States; Swear allegiance to the United States; Actively serve the United States when necessary. At the same time, citizens also have the obligation to serve as jury members, register and vote.

So how do you change from a permanent resident to a citizen?

According to the procedure of American immigration law, permanent residents should be naturalized and become American citizens. Naturalization refers to the process by which American permanent residents acquire American citizenship. Sometimes permanent residents may acquire dual citizenship as a result.

You can apply for naturalization after holding legal permanent resident status for 5 years. If you are the spouse of an American citizen, you can apply for naturalization if you have held a green card for 3 years and have maintained a marriage relationship. Individuals applying for naturalization must provide evidence of continuous residence in the United States and have lived for at least two and a half years within five years of obtaining legal resident status. If they have lived outside the United States for more than one year, they do not meet the requirements of continuous residence. Applicants should also show that they have good moral character. After receiving the naturalization application, the Naturalization Bureau will review all the historical materials submitted by permanent residents when they obtain the green card. Once any defects are found, such as fake marriage, fake work and other bad records, the naturalization process will be hindered, and even permanent residency will be revoked, imprisonment, fines (up to $250,000) and deportation will be imposed. In addition, male green card holders who apply for naturalization before the age of 27 must fill in the conscription registration number. If they fail to register for conscription, the Immigration Bureau will consider them to have evaded military service and lose their citizenship.

The specific application process is as follows: first, the applicant must submit a complete naturalization application form to the immigration office in the jurisdiction where he lives, and then the immigration office will arrange for the applicant to go to the relevant place to keep his fingerprints and do a background check for three months. After the investigation, the applicants will be arranged for an interview at the Immigration Bureau, and they must pass the English listening, speaking, reading and writing test. In some cases, applicants' English requirements will be exempted, and even Chinese interviews will be met in some cases. Applicants who are unable to take the exam due to disability may apply for exemption from the exam. Then the applicant should know about the history and government structure of the United States. After all this is successfully passed, we will enter the last step of the naturalization process-the oath ceremony, at which the applicant will swear allegiance to the United States. On the day of the oath, the applicant can obtain a naturalization certificate and become an American citizen. If the applicant has children under the age of 18, they can apply for naturalization together, otherwise they must wait until the children reach the age of 18.

The above are the general provisions of naturalization procedures, and in some special circumstances, they will also apply to some special immigration laws. Limited by space, we will introduce in detail the naturalization of spouses of American citizens working overseas and the reservation of naturalization rights in the next issue.