What is a green card?

A green card is a permanent residence permit for foreign citizens. Holding a green card means that the cardholder has the permanent residence in the issuing country, and at the same time, holding a green card can exempt entry visas for a certain period of time.

The word green card originated in the United States, because the earliest permanent residence permit in the United States was green.

Card, with the change of design, has been updated for 20 versions, but the name of green card has been retained. In May of 20 10, the green card turned green again, and a yellow-green pattern was added to the previous white background. Other countries follow the United States and call their permanent residence permits green cards.

Since 2004, People's Republic of China (PRC) has issued permanent residence certificates, also known as China green cards, to foreigners who meet the application conditions in China.

Get a green card

Foreigners who have obtained a "green card" will be disqualified by the police in any of the following circumstances: they may cause harm to national security and interests; Being sentenced to deportation by the people's court; Obtaining permanent residence qualification by illegal means such as providing false materials, or staying in China for less than 3 months without approval or staying in China for less than 1 year.

Lower the green card threshold

With the rapid development of the introduction of overseas high-level talents in China, problems such as high threshold, complicated procedures, small scope of application, and unclear domestic related treatment have become increasingly prominent, which need to be studied and solved urgently. To this end, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Public Security, together with relevant departments, have studied and drafted measures to give China "green card" related national treatment and lower the threshold of China's "green card". 20 12 was released and implemented in the second half of the year.

Twenty-five departments, including the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Public Security of China, recently jointly issued the Measures for Foreigners' Permanent Residence in China, stipulating that foreigners holding the Permit for Foreigners' Permanent Residence in China (hereinafter referred to as the "Green Card") shall, in principle, enjoy the same rights as China citizens and assume the same obligations as China citizens, except for certain rights and obligations that cannot be enjoyed by political rights and laws and regulations.

This method provides detailed regulations on employment, visa residence, customs clearance, investment, professional title, children's education, social security, housing accumulation fund, house purchase, financial business, shopping, tourism, driver's license and other issues that foreigners are generally concerned about when coming to China [1].

According to the regulations, holders of "green cards" are employed in China and are exempt from the Alien Employment Permit; Those who meet the requirements can give priority to the Foreign Expert Certificate, the Returned Expert Certificate and the residence permit for local talents; Foreign direct investment in China is conducted in legally available RMB; For investment projects and the establishment of foreign-invested enterprises in China, the departments of development and reform, commerce, industry and commerce, foreign exchange and other departments shall simplify the examination and approval procedures in accordance with the relevant provisions on the administration of foreign investment.

In August, 2004, China began to implement the Administrative Measures for the Examination and Approval of Foreigners' Permanent Residence in China, namely the "green card" system in China. The Measures stipulate that foreigners can be granted permanent residence permits, that is, China's "green cards", for foreign high-level talents working in relevant units, foreign investors with relatively high direct investment in China, people who have made significant outstanding contributions to China or have special needs in the country, and family reunion personnel such as couples, minors who rely on their parents, and elderly people who rely on their relatives.

Taiwan, China

In recent years, Taiwan Province Province of China has issued a "foreigner residence permit" to foreigners living in Taiwan Province Province of China. This is the identity document used by the authorities of Taiwan Province Province in China to prove that foreigners and Chinese mainland people legally live in their territory. * * * It is divided into residence permit for foreigners, permanent residence permit for foreigners, residence permit for family members of Chinese mainland people and long-term residence permit for Chinese mainland people. Issued by the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Interior. Many foreigners who have been engaged in religious, medical and other public welfare work in Taiwan Province for many years, such as Doris Brougham, do not need to go back to their original countries to renew their passports and apply for visas as before. Non-China women who are married to people from Taiwan Province Province (also known as foreign spouses in Taiwan Province Province and new immigrant women in recent years) also hold a "foreigner residence permit" to qualify for a national identity card. Chinese mainland residents hold entry and exit passes for Chinese mainland and Taiwan Province provinces. According to Article 25 of the Entry-Exit Administration Law, which was revised on June 5438+ 10, 2009, foreigners who have been legally residing in Taiwan Province Province for five consecutive years and have lived for more than 183 days a year, or their foreign spouses and children have been legally residing in Taiwan Province Province for 10 years and have lived for five years10. Paragraph 4 of Article 33 stipulates that after holding a permanent residence permit, the permanent residence permit will be cancelled or revoked if he has not lived for 183 days every year.

China, Hongkong, China and Macau, China.

1997, 1999 After the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong and Macao to People's Republic of China (PRC), a new system was implemented. The right of abode of "China people" in the former colonies has been confirmed by the basic laws of China and Hong Kong and the basic laws of China and Macau. Therefore, all China "British overseas residents" and "Macao residents" automatically acquire China nationality. Non-China people (such as British and Portuguese) have their right of abode changed to "permanent residents". In fact, permanent residents can stay as long as they live continuously in the local area at ordinary times. If non-China permanent residents no longer live permanently in the local area and do not live continuously normally, they will lose their right of abode and permanent resident status. However, after Hong Kong and Macao are deprived of the right of abode, they still have the "right of entry", that is, they can enter the country at any time like permanent residents. But permanent residents will not be deported for any reason, and they have no right of abode. Those who only have the right to enter the country will be deported because of illegal crimes.

Non-China, Hong Kong and Macao residents cannot apply for Hong Kong and Macao "SAR Passports", nor can they usually apply for Hong Kong Visa Identity Document (CI) and Macao Electronic Travel Card. However, residents who cannot apply for their own documents can apply for the above CI and electronic travel permit. The above two documents cannot enjoy visa-free treatment like SAR passports.

United States of America

The official title of green card in the United States is "permanent resident card", also called I-55 1, which records the cardholder's photo, fingerprint, name and other information and can be obtained through application. Applicants usually need to have a permanent job in the United States or their spouses and children settle in the United States. If the application is successful, the green card will be issued to the applicant, and the cardholder needs to update the card on schedule.

With the American green card, you don't need to apply for a visa at the American embassy or consulate. You only need to show your passport and green card to enter and leave the United States freely. In addition to voting rights, you can enjoy the same benefits and treatment as your own citizens in the United States. Green card holders usually need to stay in the United States for a certain period of time each year, and cardholders who have not entered the country for more than two years may have their green cards revoked.

People's Republic of China (PRC) green card

The official name of the green card is "permanent residence permit", which is used to prove the legal right of a foreigner to live and work in the United States for a long time. American green cards also have a similar function to passports. When you enter the US Customs, you can show your green card without a visa. This card, which represents permanent residence status, was green at first, then adopted other colors, and changed back to green after 20 10. A green card is a plastic card the size of a credit card with photos and fingerprints on it, and some personal information is recorded on it. The green card is valid for 10 year. After the expiration of the validity period, you need to apply for a new card from the Immigration Bureau. The United States and European countries have different management agencies for foreigners' residence. The issuance of visas and the issuance of residency in the United States are different departments. American embassies abroad only issue visas, and the above-mentioned period of validity refers to the period of validity of entering the United States rather than the period of residence. The length of residence is determined by the local American immigration officials. For example, the visa on your passport is valid for one month, but the immigration officer at the US airport customs can give you the right of residence for half a year or just seven days.

In the United States, the permanent residence institution is the immigration bureau, not the local police station. The United States and Canada are both immigrant countries, so the immigration bureau is quite large and powerful. After the "9. 1 1" incident, the US Immigration Department, which is under the newly established Department of Homeland Security, was previously under the Ministry of Justice. They can deny the authority of embassy visas, veto the State Council's decision, and refuse visa holders issued by American embassies abroad to enter the United States. This problem is particularly prominent in the United States. American immigration officials have unlimited power at border crossings. They can rush back to foreigners with valid visas on the spot, forcing them to pay an expensive one-way ticket and take the next flight back to their country. If there is no flight that day, they will put the tourists in the brig and wait for the next flight.

In order to strengthen management, the United States divides the Immigration Bureau into four areas, namely, four management centers in the northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest, which handle work visas and immigration affairs nationwide. Long-term residents who have lived in the country for more than one year can also apply to the Immigration Bureau for extension.

The US Immigration Service doesn't have to go through the formalities in person. It's all mail. In the process of applying for a green card, many applicants have never been to the immigration office or met officials there, and finally they have successfully obtained a green card. Generally speaking, the US Immigration Bureau cannot entrust the relationship, and the result of the entrusted relationship may be unfavorable to the applicant. Officials of the US Immigration Bureau have greater personal power, and their superiors also give them the power to make mistakes. They don't like the interference of outsiders, and they don't look at the complaints of applicants. They can't even see the applicant's face, and they only make decisions based on the materials.

The United States is a country ruled by law, and the immigration bureau tends to accept documents submitted by lawyers rather than documents submitted directly by applicants. US immigration officials believe that lawyers' documents are more credible, but immigration documents are submitted through lawyers, and the fees are indispensable.

There are many kinds of green cards in the United States, such as dependent green cards, work green cards, special talent green cards and so on. If you can't touch these edges, you can spend money to immigrate illegally and endure it for more than ten years. Maybe we can catch an Amnesty, illegally transfer the law, and get a green card. In the worst case, you can draw lots to get a green card, which is a simpler way than winning the lottery. Mainland-born China people do not belong to this situation and are not qualified to draw lots.

Applicants for green cards do not need any special conditions, as long as they are Americans or spouses or children of green card holders. However, in recent years, the waiting period is very long. Spouses with green cards have to wait for nearly five years to get green cards, and couples have to live apart for a long time.

There are other ways to immigrate to the United States, such as investing in immigration. Such immigrants need money and specific projects, which only a few people can do. They can invest hundreds of thousands of dollars and obtain immigration status through examination.

Green card policy

Only through hard work can ordinary people apply for a green card to work in the United States. After completing their studies, international students can find jobs, be employed by American companies, or be sent directly to the United States by large companies. After working for several years, they can apply for a green card with the support of the company. The United States issues a large number of work visas to foreigners every year. In the past two years, more than 60,000 work visas were issued each year. In the years of new economic expansion, 654.38+200,000 work visas were issued to foreigners on average every year. Everyone who has a job in America applies for a green card. Whether to approve it or not is another matter.

On the issue of immigration, the United States adopts a pragmatic policy, showing tolerance for foreign immigrants when the economy is good, and strictly restricting foreigners when the economy is bad. In the late 1990s, when the American economy was booming, new york didn't even catch illegal immigrants. Even the owner of the local Chinese restaurant said that he was not worried about this problem at that time, and he rarely heard of the police searching for illegal workers in Chinese restaurants.

With a green card, it is more convenient to enter and leave the United States. Airport customs put green card holders and American citizens in the same team, which makes entry faster, unlike other foreigners who have to queue for a long time.