USA: Tips for Green Card Winners and other Immigrants

Your Rights and Responsibilities

What you do now as a permanent resident can affect your ability to become a US citizen later. The process of becoming a US citizen is called "naturalization".

As a permanent resident, you have the right to:

* Live and work permanently anywhere in the US
* Apply to become a US citizen once you are eligible
* Request visas for your husband or wife and unmarried children to live in the US
* Get Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicare benefits, if you are eligible
* Own property in the US
* Apply for a driver's license in your state or territory
* Leave and return to the US under certain conditions
* Attend public school and college
* Join certain branches of the US Armed Forces
* Purchase or own a firearm, as long as there are no state or local restrictions saying you cannot

As a permanent resident, it is your responsibility to:

* Obey all federal, state, and local laws
* Pay federal, state, and local income taxes
* Register with the Selective Service (US Armed Forces), if you are a male between ages 18 and 26
* Maintain your immigration status
* Carry proof of your permanent resident status at all times
* Change your address online or provide it in writing to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within 10 days of each time you move

Permanent residents are issued a valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) as proof of their legal status in the United States. Some people call this a "Green Card". If you are a permanent resident who is 18 years or older, you must carry proof of your immigration status. You must show it to an immigration officer if asked for it. Your card is valid for 10 years and must be renewed before it expires. You should file Form I-90 to replace or renew your Permanent Resident Card. You can get this form online here or by calling the USCIS Forms Line. There is a fee to file Form I-90.

Your Permanent Resident Card shows that you are allowed to live and work in the United States. You also can use your "Green Card" to re-enter the United States. If you are outside the US for more than 12 months, you will need to show additional documentation to re-enter the US as a permanent resident.

Citation: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Citizenship, Welcome to the United States: A guide for New Immigrants, Washington, DC, 2007, Revised Edition.