Important To Be A Green Card Holder To Apply For Us Citizenship!

By Author: Nancy Mervin
Total Articles: 56
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Immigration status referred to as lawful permanent residency authorizes a person on a permanent basis to live and work in the US. The INS Form I-151 formerly Alien Registration Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card, now referred to as United States Permanent Resident Card (USCIS Form I-551) is an identification card attesting to the permanent resident status of an alien in the United States.

Green card overview

The card had been green in color from 1946 till 1964 and hence the name and it has reverted to that color since May 2010.Immigration process of becoming a permanent resident is also referred as Green card . Serving the purpose as proof that its holder, a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), has been officially granted immigration benefits, the green card also include permission to reside and take employment in the USA.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) formerly issued the green card. That agency was absorbed into and replaced by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), part of the Department ...
... of Homeland Security (DHS) during a re-organization process. Now the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), formerly known as BCIS, have the responsibility for issuing green cards.

All eighteen years of age or older residents permanently in the United States must carry their valid physical card itself at all times. According to Immigration and Nationality Act section 264(e) failing to do so would result in penalty of a fine not exceeding 100 dollars and/or imprisoned not more than 30 days for each offense. The federal government can only impose these penalties.

Reading a Permanent Resident Card

The information on the card is mostly self-evident except for the computer and human readable signature at the bottom which is not evident.
• On first line:
1–2: C1 or C2. Resident within the United States means C1 Resident whose stays permanently and a commuter (who is living in Canada or Mexico) means C2
3–5: USA refers to issuing country, United States of America
6–14: 9-digit number refers to A#, alien number
15: refers to receipt number of the application
16–30: refers to immigrant case number that resulted in the approved green card. The "