What should you pay attention to after getting your green card?

Green card is commonly known as proof of permanent residence in the United States. Because the earlier certification document was green, it was called a "green card." In fact, after years of changes, the green card is no longer green, but pink. It has the cardholder's photo and date of birth on it. On the back is a magnetic disk containing various information about the cardholder for scanning machines to read and identify. . With this card, people's legal status in the United States immediately changes. So, what should you pay attention to after receiving your green card?

First of all, after receiving the green card, only the residence status in the United States has changed. Cardholders still hold the passport of their home country and still have the nationality of their original home country. You should therefore always keep your passport valid for at least six months.

Second, green card holders can live permanently in the United States for as long as they want. Therefore, the green card means that the card holder must "have the intention to immigrate", which means that the card holder is required to regard the United States as his permanent residence. If the cardholder lives abroad for a long time, his or her green card may be revoked and confiscated if immigration officials believe that the cardholder has no "immigration intention." In some cases, even if the cardholder returns to the United States (visit) many times while living abroad, if the immigration officer confirms that the person has no connection with the United States, he may still have trouble entering the country, and the green card can be regarded as abandoned and revoked. If you plan to stay outside the United States for more than six months or even more than a year at a time, you should apply for a re-entry permit before leaving the United States.

Third, green card holders must fulfill their legal obligations stipulated in the law. The most common legal obligation is to pay taxes to the government. If you have income but deliberately do not pay taxes after obtaining a green card, you may have trouble applying for naturalization.

Fourth, green card holders enjoy most of the rights granted by the U.S. Constitution. But a green card is not a citizenship paper after all. Green card holders are still considered “foreigners” and do not have the right to vote or stand for election in the United States. You cannot pretend to be a citizen to participate in any form of political voting.

Fifth, green card holders must abide by the law. Although green card holders can freely enter and leave the U.S. border without going through additional visa procedures, people with criminal records (criminal records), especially those who have been convicted and sentenced to prison, may not necessarily be able to return to the United States after leaving the country. If you are arrested and detained for violating U.S. federal, state, or local laws, you should immediately consult an experienced local criminal defense attorney who preferably also understands immigration law and receive professional help. If you are convicted and sentenced, depending on the severity, it will have a negative impact on your permanent resident status and naturalization application. For serious cases, you may be deported from the United States directly by the Immigration Bureau after serving your sentence.

Sixth, if the green card holder is a male between 18 and 25 years old, he must register for military service with the Selective Service. Failure to register may affect future naturalization applications. For specific information on military service registration, please visit www.sss.gov.

Seventh, green card holders have the right to apply for certain relatives to immigrate to the United States. People with green cards can apply for immigration for their spouses, minor children and unmarried adult children, but they cannot immigrate for their parents, siblings. Because the annual quota for green card holders to apply for immigration is limited, their immigration applications have to wait for many years for a result.

Eighth, if a green card holder moves, he must notify the Immigration Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security of his new address online or in writing within 10 days after moving;

Ninth , green card holders can apply to become U.S. citizens or have the right to decide not to become U.S. citizens. Generally speaking, those who have five years from the date of green card approval, and who have lived in the United States most of the time, have good moral character, and have a simple understanding of the history and government of the United States, may become a U.S. citizen. After becoming a citizen, a green card holder is no longer a "foreigner" and thus enjoys all legal rights and assumes all legal obligations that other U.S. citizens can enjoy. For some green card holders, after becoming a citizen, even if they commit a crime and serve their sentence, they will not be deported from the United States. Unless the citizenship was obtained through fraudulent conduct, the Immigration Department has no authority to revoke the citizenship that has been obtained. However, if you have been arrested or sentenced, you must wait at least five years before submitting a naturalization application.

Tenth, there are two types of green cards: green cards with restrictions and green cards without conditions. An unconditional green card is generally valid for ten years. Green cards with restrictions are only valid for two years and are generally obtained through marriage immigration or investment immigration. Holders of this type of green card must apply to convert it to a formal green card within three months before expiration.

Eleventh, green card holders should carry their green cards with them at all times and keep them properly. Once lost, call the police immediately. And apply for a replacement green card in a timely manner.