Permanent Resident Card Guide

Permanent resident cards were once called "green cards."

Formerly known as "green cards," permanent resident cards allow non-citizens to live and work in the United States permanently. Many different ways exist in which you can file for such a card, including doing so through your employer, family or even by claiming asylum.

Applying

You can apply for a permanent resident card through a family member who is already a permanent resident or a United States citizen. If you wish to receive the card through an employer, you typically must be in a highly skilled profession. You may also have what are considered to be extraordinary abilities in a particular employment area.

Asylum

If you do not have relatives or employers in the United States who can assist you to get a card, you may be eligible to apply for asylum. In order to do so, you must demonstrate that you would suffer severe hardship if sent back to your country of origin.

Other Ways

Special circumstances exist that might also render you eligible for a permanent resident card: if you came to the United States with a K visa (visa for fiances), are the widow or widower of a citizen or if you were born to a foreign diplomat on American soil.

References

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Green Card (Permanent Residence)