Many newcomers to the United States consider becoming citizens at some point, but in order to do so, you must first hold a Green Card, which signifies that you have been a permanent resident for a predetermined amount of time.
You have the choice of becoming a US citizen after holding a Green Card for the required period of time or the remaining one.
You must be aware of the key distinctions between having a Green Card and becoming a citizen of the US so that you can decide what to do in the future.
You become a member of US society and government when you attain citizenship or naturalise.
Being a citizen of the US gives you unalienable rights that are equivalent to those of someone who was born there. If you are not born in the United States of America, you must meet the following requirements to become a citizen -
At least 18 years of age is required.
A minimum of five years of continuous permanent residence, or three years if you are married to a US citizen.
As a US citizen, you have the freedom to live, work, travel to, and leave the US as you please. If a person is not a citizen by birth, they must possess a Green Card for a certain period of time before they can seek to become one.
A Green Card, also known as permanent residency, enables someone to live and work in the US permanently while maintaining their citizenship and passport from their native country. You must first obtain a Green Card to become a citizen.
You must initially possess a Green Card for at least three years if you married a US citizen, and five years if you obtained your Green Card through any other means, such as employment.
Your ability to dwell permanently in the US is essentially determined by your Green Card status. The status is permanent, although the card normally only lasts for ten years until you renew it again.
Many individuals believe that having a Green Card gives them permanent US citizenship. However, given how dissimilar these two things are, it is not the case.
There is a permanent resident status in every nation, but this does not entitle you to citizenship in that nation. A person who has a Green Card is merely one step removed from being a visitor or an international person entering a country and a few steps away from becoming a US citizen.
Even after obtaining a Green Card and moving to the US permanently, you are still a citizen of your home country. If you travel outside the US, you will continue to be regarded as a citizen of your home nation.
If you engage in any criminal conduct, even as a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR), you risk being expelled from the country. You cannot be dismissed as a citizen of this nation.
If you committed fraud to earn your Green Card or citizenship, that would be the sole circumstance in which you might be deported as a citizen of the United States.
There are several items that, as a holder of a Green Card, they may decide to take away at any time to remove you from your status.
For example, if you decide to vote while holding a Green Card but are not a US citizen, they would altogether cancel your Green Card, which will result in your deportation to your home country.
Both the Green Card Renewal and the US Citizenship Application will require filing costs from you.
The cost of applying for citizenship may initially appear to be more than that of renewing a Green Card, but since citizenship is good for life, there is no additional cost.
You can anticipate the same in the future as the application filing fees have climbed significantly over the previous few years. You will eventually have to pay a sizable payment to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) if you decide to continue renewing your Green Card.
You are required by law to notify US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within 10 days if your residential address changes while you have a Green Card. But you're exempt from it if you're a citizen of the US.
As a citizen, you are entitled to all the welfare, medical, and social security benefits that the US has to offer. You are eligible for employment with the government, as well as federal grants, scholarships, and benefits.
Grants and welfare assistance are hard to come by for people with Green Cards. More rights and advantages come with US citizenship than those of a Green Card holder.
You can petition your family members to immigrate to the U.S., cast a ballot, receive federal help, and you cannot be deported if you are a citizen of the United States.
Additionally, a U.S. passport will be given to you, allowing you to leave the nation whenever you like.
Therefore, before beginning the naturalisation process, you must ensure that you pay taxes, have no outstanding warrants for your arrest, have a clean criminal record, have applied for permanent residency, passed the citizenship test, and are otherwise qualified to become a citizen of the United States.
Although it is theoretically possible to lose your Green Card, you cannot lose your citizenship. Once you have completed this process, you can begin living as a US citizen.
By being married to another US citizen, a Green Card holder can obtain citizenship.
A foreign national can become a citizen by serving in certain branches of the US military.
Foreign nationals who are sponsored by an employer may also apply for a Green Card in the United States.
Through the government-sponsored U.S. Green Card lottery, you can obtain permanent residency, that is, a Green Card in the United States.
Renewal: Green Cards have to be renewed, citizenship doesn't. Every ten years, your Green Card must be renewed, and the renewal fee is close to $540.
Passport: Numerous nations accept US passports without requiring a visa. US passports allow many people to travel without a visa. More beneficial than a Green Card is a US passport.
Right to vote: You can vote and even run for office if you have US citizenship. A Green Card cannot.
Live abroad: You will receive a U.S. passport as a citizen, which makes travelling to many countries simpler and visa-free in some. You are free to travel and stay outside the country for as long as you like.
Citizens are not subject to any travel restrictions. When returning from visits abroad, a Green Card holder must always demonstrate that they are "legally allowed" in the country.
A Green Card holder may also lose their status as a permanent resident if they are abroad for an extended period.
Before you convert your Green Card to citizenship, take into account these three factors:
Dual citizenship: Is it possible to hold dual citizenship in your home country? Dual citizenship is not permitted in India, thus giving up your Indian citizenship formally is necessary to become a citizen of the US. No similar intricacy exists with the Green Card.
Tax repercussions: Obtaining a Green Card makes you a US tax resident. However, those who have received a Green Card may have greater opportunities to use international tax credits to reduce their liability.
Complicated procedure: Obtaining citizenship entails a difficult process that might take years and be quite expensive. This factor encourages individuals to choose a Green Card over citizenship.
The ‘Green Card’ application procedure can be a complicated and difficult task for many people. The assurance that one can live and work permanently in the US can be obtained by having a Green Card.
Although acquiring citizenship is more reliable than a Green Card, a permanent residence may be withdrawn in some circumstances.
If you commit a crime, your status as a lawful permanent resident (Green Card) may be withdrawn or jeopardised.
The legality of your status as a lawful permanent resident may be at risk if you spend a lot of time abroad.
We have determined that Green Card holders can only take advantage of a limited set of benefits while naturalised US citizens can take advantage of all the rights granted by the US constitution.
While your Green Card application is being processed, you are still permitted to work in the US if you currently hold a valid work visa, such as an H-1B or L-1.
The United States Department of State publishes the immigration-related magazine Visa Bulletin. This bulletin's main objective is to give an updated waiting list for immigrants who must adhere to quota restrictions. The bulletin's content is accessible online.
Foreign nationals who have been given permission to live permanently in the US are known as lawful permanent residents (LPRs). LPRs are also known as 'permanent resident aliens' and 'Green Card holders,' although they are frequently referred to as 'immigrants' alone.
If you've been married to a citizen of the United States for three years, you must have lived there continuously for at least five years. You must also have been physically present in the country for at least half of that period. Basic English reading, writing, and speaking are required.
The 'five-year rule' allows all Green Card holders who meet certain requirements to apply for citizenship after five years; however, the 'three-year rule' applies exclusively to individuals who have married a U.S. citizen and obtained a Green Card.
Holding a permanent resident/Green Card for five years automatically leads to citizenship. However, having a Green Card and filing as the spouse of a U.S. citizen enables citizenship within three years.
Although certain permanent resident cards, commonly known as Green Cards, have no expiration date, most of them are valid for 10 years. So living forever is impossible. Certain Green Cards come with conditional permanent resident status and are valid up to 2 years, therefore, it is important to keep them up to date.
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