Validity of the Green Card and its renewal
There are two types of green cards: conditional and constant. Conditional is issued on 2 of the year. If received, the immigrant is obliged to meet certain requirements within the specified period, and only then can he get a constant on 10 years.
Six months before the end of the term, the holder must submit an application on Form I-90 to extend the document. Skipping this moment does not lead to the loss of status for an immigrant, but will cause difficulties in finding a job, travel abroad, buying a house, apartments or cars, obtaining a driver's license. Penalties for late payment are not provided for by US laws.
However, the issue of timely renewal of the green card should be treated responsibly. Serious difficulties await when entering the USA, if it turns out, that the card is expired. Border guards will require confirmation of permanent resident status and may prohibit entry into the country. The last moment is an extremely rare phenomenon, but nevertheless takes place. If the border guards still allow entry, you will have to pay a fine in the amount of 575 dollars.
What is US Green Card
The US Green Card is a document, allowing you to live and work in the United States of America on a legal basis. If you have a Green Card, you can live anywhere in the country, officially get a job, the only exception is the state authorities of the country, only US citizens are allowed to apply there. Also, the owner of the "Green" can serve in the US military and can apply for various social benefits.
If the Green Card holder has lived in the States for five years or more, then he can legally apply for the citizenship of the country. With the acquisition of citizenship, you will become the owner of all the rights of a citizen!
Long live ethnicity
The Green Card Lottery was first played in 1995 year. The US Congress came up with the idea of distributing cherished documents 50 thousands of lucky ones, to diversify the national composition of the country.
Moreover, for different regions of the planet, different quotas: from some countries are ready to invite more people, of some - less. Some, even in a certain year, may not be included in the number of participants in the lottery. Russia was excluded from the lottery with 2005 by 2009 the years.
In general, from the total number of participants, 100 000 man. Only half of the winners get a real opportunity to take advantage of the winnings. The rest do not pass through a number of parameters:
- do the wrong paperwork,
- cannot pay the consular fee,
- do not pass an interview at the consulate.
Many return home after several months of living in the USA - people are not ready for such a gift of fate.
Photo requirements
IN 2019 year, such requirements are imposed on the photo attached to the application:
- it should be colorful and well focused;
- size 51x51 mm;
- head should take from 50 to 69 % the entire image area;
- the background must be white;
- clothes should be casual, no sunglasses allowed, headphones and hats (except those, which are worn for religious reasons);
- the gaze should be directed directly into the camera lens;
- if you regularly use a hearing aid, he should be in the picture.
The file attached to the questionnaire must be in JPEG format, with a resolution of 600 × 600 pixels and no more than 240 kB. You can fit an existing photo to these requirements in a free .
Examples of suitable photos can be found .
What are the chances of winning?
All participants in the lottery - and there are several million of them - are allocated 55 000 quotas. Moreover, different countries have different amounts. There are usually twice as many winners. This is done in order, in order to subsequently exclude those, who for some reason passed the initial selection for participation, but turned out to be inadequate. Sometimes the choice is made according to additional parameters: education, age, professional skills, financial situation, etc..
The Russian Green Card quota is about 2500. Image from freepik.com.
In general, Europeans are more likely to win the coveted Green Card, than representatives of Asian or African countries. In recent years, it exceeds 1,5%. That is from 200 participants for American permanent residence can count on, least, 3 human. These are quite high odds - they win much less often in the regular lottery.. You can increase the likelihood of getting a Green Card, by filling out a separate questionnaire for a spouse.
Trump has been trying to cancel the DV-Lottery for years. In the event of his re-election for a second term, it will most likely happen. So that, perhaps, for foreigners, this is the last chance to obtain a residence permit and the opportunity to become an American citizen.
What are the benefits of a US green card
The green card holder receives a number of advantages:
-
the ability to come and go from the state without additional documentation;
-
life-long right to reside in the United States. Although every 10 years the card needs to be renewed, no need to renounce your citizenship;
-
savings on training due to special discounts for immigrants, as well as the opportunity to receive various grants, funded by the authorities;
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the opportunity to find employment in any American company, other than organizations, engaged in secret development, related to state secrets, where only Americans are hired;
-
registration of your own business in the USA or purchase of an already operating company;
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social benefits for pensioners, on condition, that they worked more 10 years;
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the right to bring your loved ones to the States (spouse, minor children);
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the opportunity to receive loans, take out a mortgage at a low interest rate;
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faster resolution of many social and medical issues;
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free movement within the state;
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the possibility of buying firearms and real estate;
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reduced interest rates on taxes;
-
later 5 years - the prospect of becoming an American citizen.
Green card opens up great opportunities for foreigners in the USA
What rights does a green card give
- Permanent residency in the United States;
- The right to work;
- Right to social security;
- Eligible to obtain a US driver's license;
- The right to travel outside the United States for short periods of time;
- Obtaining citizenship through 5+ years.
Travel outside the United States with a green card
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Frequently asked Questions
There are a number of other questions, often faced by migrants:
- The most common problem occurs, what to do, if you lost your green card. If this happened in the United States, you should immediately contact the nearest police station and draw up a protocol that, how did it happen. If the card is lost abroad, you need to contact the consular department of the American embassy. To apply, you will need a statement with personal data and a copy of the green card. All this must first be sent in an email. After its consideration, the applicant will be invited for an interview, during which he will need to prove, that he did not violate the regime of stay in the United States with a resident card. You need to have a passport with you, photo and completed Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (to replace the card). Based on the results of the interview, a temporary document will be issued to enter the United States (Boarding foil). On its basis, you need to cross the American border within 30 days.
- Another important point is whether you need a visa, if there is a green card. To leave the states and return, it is necessary to have only a "Green Card" and a valid foreign passport of the country of citizenship. But do you need a visa to the country of entry, depends on, what kind of relationship does the United States have with her. for example, to get to Schengen, no visa permits are required with a Green Card.
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Co-authors: 13
Updated: September 20, 2020
Views: 449,038
Categories: Featured Articles | Green Card Residency
The USA Green Card Lottery is a lottery run by the U.S. State Department that gives 50,000 random people a chance to get a permanent resident visa in the U.S. To enter the lottery, you’ll need to be from an eligible country and either have a high school education or 2 years of experience in a field that requires 2 years of training. If you meet the qualifications, fill out the application on dvlottery.state.gov and submit photos of yourself and anyone else listed on your application. If you’re selected, you’ll need to apply for a visa within the designated timeframe. To learn how to check your lottery status, keep reading!
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Outcome
Summarizing, it will be useful to compare the pros and cons of the US green card:
| Benefits | disadvantages |
|---|---|
| the ability to reside in the United States for an unlimited amount of time; | the need to replace the document every 10 years; |
| visa-free travel to the USA and countries, with which this state maintains visa-free relations; | the need to carry with you the Green Card and its copy at all times; |
| equal rights with US citizens (apart from some exceptions); | very demanding attitude towards cardholders from USCIS; |
| clear registration procedure; | the slightest violation of laws and immigration regulations can lead to the cancellation of the card; |
| the right to work without special permission for any vacancies, except for government and political posts; | a ban on long-term stay outside America; |
| the opportunity to apply for an American citizenship after 5 years (for spouses of Americans - through 3 of the year) stay in resident status; | long and complicated process of obtaining a card. |
| the opportunity to bring your family to America; | |
| the green card does not oblige the holder to renounce the citizenship of his country. |
