Applying for a visa in the United States can be a very daunting task.Depending on the type of visa the United States issued to you, there may be different requirements to maintain your residency. For example, investor visa holders can apply to remove the conditions from their residency status so that they can get a green card.
If you’ve received a green card, here are some things you should know about renewing, withdrawal requirements, and your card benefits.
Green card renewal / maintenance of permanent residence
First of all, your green card is probably valid for a period of ten years and you can renew 2 year green card . Instead, you will have to file the form to remove the conditions. Additionally, if your permanent residence card is lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can also file Form I-90 for a replacement card.
Withdrawal of conditions from your green card
Conditional permanent residence cards are valid for two years.. This will also result in your transition to permanent residence. Either way, you must file either form within 90 days of card expiration.
Benefits of your green card
After obtaining your green card, you can use it to prove your eligibility for employment and to apply for a social security card and driver’s license issued by the state where you reside. In addition, your green card is valid for readmission to the United States if you are traveling abroad. However, if you are traveling for more than one consecutive year abroad, you must submit a reinstatement request.
How to keep the Green Card?
That’s it, you have finally obtained the precious Green Card! Be careful though, it is as easy to lose and difficult to obtain!. One of the main reasons for this loss is the non-declaration of your tax during a stay abroad or the fact of declaring yourself as a non-resident on your tax form.
If you have to stay abroad for more than six months and you do not wish to lose your permanent resident status, you will have to prove that you have not renounced it. To do this, always take care to complete your tax sheet as a US resident and keep an address in the United States. Also, be sure to keep your US driver’s license as well as a US bank account and credit card.
If you must be away for more than a year, take care to apply for a re-entry permit or re-entry permit before leaving American soil. This gives you the assurance of being able to return to the United States without difficulty and keep your permanent resident title.The Green Card offers its holder the opportunity to stay freely in the United States. There are different ways to get it, but you also need to know how to keep it once it is issued.
What are the obligations of the green card?
We must comply with the duties of all American residents :
=> Respect the law.
=> Pay taxes to federal authorities, to the state and to the city …
Declare all of your worldwide income to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service), the federal agency that collects taxes and enforces tax laws regarding the federal budget.
=> Register for military service, for men aged 18 to 26.
It is also essential not to be absent for more than 12 consecutive months from the country . Otherwise, the immigration agency may conclude that one is not really seeking to settle in the United States and consider that one gives up his permanent resident status.
Also, when you are away for a long period, it is advisable to keep an address in the United States (your own home if possible), a car, a bank account, a credit card … So many clues that show that one is still a resident.
If, despite everything, you plan to be away for more than a year, you must request a “re-entry permit” for your return. This should done even before leaving the country or, failing that, before returning (to an American embassy abroad).
How long is a green card valid for?
You might think that a permanent resident card has no time limit … It’s more complicated. There are three types of green card:
=> The green card with no time limit: it is a very old model. The authorities advise their holder to renew it.
=> The green card is valid for two years : it is granted to people who marry an American or to certain types of investors. Its holders are called “conditional permanent residents”. They must “lift their conditions” in the 90 days preceding the expiration of their card, via a form (it depends on their status). They can then obtain the third category of green card.
=>. It can be renewed for a few hundred dollars at the earliest six months before its expiry date, using the I-90 form.
Read More: Work and study in Canada for your permanent residency (PR) visa
