Is it naturalization to get a passport?

The most common and confusing thing is

Visa, permanent residence, green card, public relations, passport, naturalization

Some people think that

With permanent residency, do you have a passport?

Get a green card and become a citizen of this country?

But this is not the case.

Let's first clarify the concepts of visa, permanent residence, green card, passport and naturalization.

Visa: A visa is a document issued by a country's entry-exit administration (such as immigration bureau or its embassy or consulate abroad) to approve foreign citizens to enter the country. From the length of time, it is divided into: short-term visa, medium-term visa and long-term visa; According to the routine of entry and exit reasons, it can be divided into: immigrant visa, tourist visa, work visa, study visa, business visa and so on. According to the number of users, it can be divided into individual visa and group visa.

Green card (permanent residence = green card =PR): holders of permanent residence visas can live, study and work in the target country indefinitely. Holders of permanent residence visas can retain China citizenship and apply for citizenship of the target country in the future. The green card, like our ID card, is a physical card to prove the holder's "permanent resident status".

The green card originated in America. Because the earliest identity document issued to permanent residents in the United States is a green card. So people are used to using "green card" to refer to "permanent resident status". In some countries, the permanent identity card is not necessarily green, and its form is not necessarily a card (in some countries, the permanent identity card is just a piece of paper), but influenced by the United States, we usually call it a "green card".

PR is actually easier to understand. PR is the abbreviation of the English word "permanent resident"-PR.

Passport: There are two common ways for a person to become a citizen of a certain country. One is that, like us, our parents are from China, and we were born in China, so we naturally have China nationality; The other is to have the nationality of country A naturally, but acquire the nationality of country B the day after tomorrow by meeting the relevant conditions such as the National Law of country B, which is called naturalization. To apply for a "passport" of a country means that the applicant officially holds the nationality of that country and becomes one of its citizens.

Before we know more about it, we must understand the meaning of immigration. Generally speaking, we think that there are only three outcomes of immigration: First, we have obtained the permanent residency (green card) in other countries, but our nationality still belongs to China. Second, after obtaining the permanent residency (green card), most countries need to participate in the "immigration supervision" before they can apply for citizenship (get a passport). 3. Some countries have set up passport immigration programs, which can get passports in one step, such as Cyprus, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Greece and Moldova.

Let's do an exercise:

I got the American green card = I became a permanent resident of the United States = I got the PR of the United States.

Let me say a few more words here. As far as American green cards are concerned, they are also divided into permanent green cards and conditional green cards.

For example, Xiao Li married an American wife. As a foreign spouse, Xiao Li can apply for a green card as an immediate family member. When applying for a green card, if the immigrant application is approved and he has been married for less than 2 years, then Xiao Li's obtaining a green card is a living condition, which is commonly referred to as a temporary green card. 90 days before the expiration of the temporary green card, you can apply for a permanent green card (I-75 1 petition to remove the living conditions). A permanent green card usually lasts for 10 years, so it is also called a ten-year green card.

The difference between two kinds of green cards:

The rights and obligations of a temporary green card are basically the same as those of a ten-year green card, such as work or life. Short-term travel abroad can return to the United States without obtaining a visa from an American embassy or consulate. But the validity period is different. Validity: The temporary green card is valid for only two years. If it is not converted into a formal green card within the validity period, it will be deemed that the temporary green card will be automatically abandoned after its expiration. The ten-year green card is usually 10 years, and can be extended after its expiration.

What is the difference between a green card and a passport?

Then, why does the same country have both permanent residence (green card) and naturalization (passport) programs? Or, what's the difference between permanent residence and naturalization?

1. About the nationality of the applicant. After obtaining the permanent residency (green card), the applicant is still the original nationality. After naturalization (passport), according to the laws of the original country of nationality and the target country, you may acquire the nationality of the target country, or you may need to give up your original nationality. For example, China and Japan do not recognize dual citizenship, so if you want to be naturalized in Japan, you must give up your China citizenship.

2. About freedom of travel. Regarding the promotion of passport projects in various countries, we often see where the passport index of a country ranks. One of the determinants of the so-called passport index is the number of countries/regions that hold passports of that country and can be exempted from visa/landing visa. For example, Japanese passports pass through 190 countries/regions.

3. About rights and obligations. Generally speaking, after obtaining permanent residency, applicants can enjoy education, medical care and other benefits in the target country, but they do not enjoy political rights (voting rights, voting rights, etc.). ); If you are naturalized, you will enjoy the same welfare benefits as citizens of the target country.

_ Differences in rights and interests between green cards and passports.

The biggest difference between a green card and a passport lies in political rights and obligations. Citizens often enjoy more political rights (such as voting rights). ) and welfare (housing, education, medical care, etc. ) more than permanent residents, so they also have to undertake more obligations (such as military service).

How to choose green card and passport?

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and needs to be weighed.

_ Advantages and Disadvantages of Green Card

You can live, study and work in the country where the green card is issued for a long time. It is worth noting that green cards in some countries can do business without working locally, so be sure to understand clearly before handling them;

Apply for international schools: domestic and international schools generally need foreign green cards or nationality to apply (mostly nationality);

Have the same welfare benefits as locals, except political rights;

Another advantage of the European Schengen green card is that it can enter other Schengen countries without a visa (Schengen countries only);

Children can enjoy local high-quality educational resources, and the tuition fees are relatively cheaper than those of international students (depending on the school).

Some countries need long-term sedentary "immigration supervision" to maintain permanent residence status.

_ Advantages and disadvantages of passports

Free to work, study and live in a third-party passport country without restrictions;

Have the same welfare benefits as locals;

With a passport, you can enjoy the treatment of visa-free countries, travel around the world without a visa, and enter and leave the corresponding visa-free countries and regions at will;

It is also a "stepping stone" to attend an international school;

More conducive to global asset allocation;

The benefits of having a foreign identity to the company: tax incentives for foreigners, participation qualifications, etc.

If you need to stay in China for work or other reasons, you need to apply for a corresponding visa.

To join a foreign nationality, you have to give up your China nationality, cancel your China household registration, and your ID card can't be used. It's very inconvenient to handle the business of using your ID card in China.

Poor emotional identity, feeling that I have lost my foundation.

In a word, passport and green card have their own advantages. How to choose depends on personal needs. You'd better choose the one that suits you best. But when choosing between naturalization and getting a green card, if you want to know what your needs are and what your future plans are, and consider your family's situation and listen to their opinions, then your decision will be rational.