What is a Green Card?

A US Permanent Resident Card, commonly referred to as a “Green Card”, is a plastic photo identification card carried by a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) of the United States as official proof of his or her authorization to live, study and work in the USA for an unlimited amount of time.

Green Cards are issued to permanent residents by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), they are generally valid for 10 years, and can be renewed indefinitely for 10 years each time.

After living in the US with a Green Card for five years and meeting other eligibility requirements, a Lawful Permanent resident has the option to apply for American citizenship through the “naturalization” process.