A person who has the legal right to live there permanently is said to have permanent residency in a country or territory of which they are not citizens. A person possessing such legal status is referred to as a permanent resident. This is often for an indefinite amount of time.
A Permanent Resident card, or “green card,” is a plastic card with the individual’s biographic information, photo, fingerprint, and expiration date issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
It authorizes the green card holder the right to live and work in the United States indefinitely.
Because at one time, it was green, it keeps its nickname up to today. It is also known as an “Alien Registration Card” and “Form I-551”.
Currently, the card is yellowish with a magnetic barcode on the back which stores the individual’s information.
While the green card has an expiration date (10 years) and has to be renewed, the green card holder’s status as “lawful permanent resident” is still valid unless the status is abandoned or revoked by U.S. government.
A Permanent Resident enjoys most of the rights of a United States citizen according to the immigration law and regulations.
