The Alien Registration Card (Permanent Resident Card - Form I-551), also know as a green card is issued to all Permanent Residents as proof of alien registration and their permanent status in the United States. This card must be in your possession at all times. This requirement means that you are not only required to have a valid Form I-551 at all times, but also that you must carry this card on your person at all times. The Alien Registration Card currently is issued with a 10 year expiration date. Your status as a Permanent Resident does not expire at the expiration date, only the card expires. The Alien Registration Card is only valid up to the expiration date and must be renewed before it expires.
A Conditional Permanent Resident is issued a card that is valid for two years. In order to remain a Permanent Resident, the Conditional Permanent Resident must file a petition to have the conditional status removed during the 90 days before the card expires. The conditional card Alien Registration Card cannot be renewed. The condition must be removed, or you lose your Permanent Resident Status.The Alien Registration Card (either unconditioned or conditioned) can be used to prove your employment eligibility in the United States when completing the Form I-9 for a new employer. The Alien Registration Card can also be used to apply for a Social Security Card and a state issued driver’s license. The Alien Registration Card is valid for re-admission into the United States if you take a trip outside the United States and was not away for more than one year in length. If your trip will last longer than one year, you will need to apply for a re-entry permit.
Relatives
A Permanent Resident can petition for some relatives to join him or her in the United States as immigrants. Those relatives are your spouse and children, regardless of age.
If you have a spouse and children when you become a Permanent Resident, they may be eligible for permanent residence status through you without filing separate petitions. This depends on how you qualified for your permanent residence. You should ask an immigration officer, attorney, or voluntary help organization for advice about this.
Voting
One of the most important privileges of democracy in the United States of America is the right to participate in choosing elected officials through voting. As a Permanent Resident you can only vote in local and state elections that do not require you to be a US citizen. It is very important that you do not vote in national, state or local elections that require a voter to be a US citizen when you are not a US citizen. There are criminal penalties for voting when you are not a US citizen, and it is a requirement for voting. You can be removed (deported) from the US if you vote in elections limited to US citizens.
Responsibilities
As a Permanent Resident you are required to obey all of the laws of the United States, the 50 States, and localities. You are required to file your income tax returns and report your income to the US Internal Revenue Service and State IRS. You are expected to support the democratic form of government and cannot attempt to change the government through illegal means. If you are a male, age 18 through 25, you are required to register with the Selective Service.
You can abandoned your permanent resident status if you:
- Move to another country intending to live there permanently.
- Remain outside of the U.S. for more than one year without obtaining a reentry permit or returning resident visa.
- Remain outside of the US for more than two years after issuance of a reentry permit without obtaining a returning resident visa.
- Failure to file income tax returns while living outside of the US for any period.
- Declare yourself a “non-immigrant” on your tax returns.
You can lose your permanent residence status if you commit an illegal act that makes you removable from the United States under the law in section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If you commit such an act, you may be brought before the immigration courts to determine your right to remain a Permanent Resident.
Many Permanent Residents of the United States have the ultimate goal of becoming a US citizen. Naturalization is the primary method for most persons not born as US citizens to obtain that status.
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