What is an American 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 term "green card" originated in the United States, because the earliest permanent residence permit in the United States was a green card. With the change of design, the version of 19 was updated. Now it is a white plastic card with a yellow-green pattern, but the name "green card" has been retained. Other countries follow the United States and call their permanent residence permits green cards.

Green cards in various countries

People's Republic of China (PRC)

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.

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.

After having a green card in the United States, you can freely enter and leave the United States without applying for a visa at the American embassy or consulate. You only need to show your passport and green card, and you basically enjoy the same treatment as your own nationals 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.

Germany

Germany's green card is quite special. It does not provide permanent residency, but only provides visas for 2-5 years. During this period, you cannot apply for a long-term visa. Only to IT technicians with an annual salary of more than 654.38 million marks.

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A green card refers to a permanent residence permit, which proves that a foreigner has the right 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. I don't know if this card representing permanent residence status was green before, but it's not green now. It's just a plastic piece the size of a credit card with some personal information recorded on it. Even if it is obtained, it will not be done once and for all, and it will still be replaced every five years. 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. The above validity period refers to the validity period of entering the United States, not the residence period. The residence period is issued by the local American immigration official. For example, the passport visa is one month, and the immigration officer at the American airport can give you the right of residence for half a year or just seven days. It's no use protesting.

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 Service, 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 decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 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 matters 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. Although it took me a long time to get my first permanent residence, I have never been to the immigration office or met the officials there. 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 great 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 candidates. They don't even look at the candidates' faces, but 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.