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Main topic: Green Card ::: Sub topic: Green Card

A green card, also known as a United States Permanent Residence Card, is an identification card confirming an alien or non-US national as a permanent resident.

Green cards are very important immigration documents because they serve as proof that the holder is a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) of the United States. That is, the holder of the green card has been granted U.S. permanent residence

Many benefits come with the possession of a green card. These benefits include the ability to 1)reside indefinitely in the United States; 2)work; 3)travel and return to the U.S., etc. Also, in most instances, the grant of a green card can lead to United States citizenship or naturalization.

Applicants who are in the process of seeking green cards can also seek a temporary work permit or Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or temporary travel document also known as advance parole.

Although USCIS will readily issue an advance parole document to an applicant, our law firm's immigration lawyers want to warn green card applicants about traveling on advance parole documents. Briefly stated, advance parole documents can often trigger the 3- or 10-year bar due to unlawful presence in the United States.

There are two types of processing for obtaining a green card: Consular processing and Adjustment of Status.

Consular Processing
In short, consular processing occurs when the alien beneficiary is outside of the United States. In general, the application is initiated in the U.S. Once the USCIS service center completes its processing, it transfers the file to National Visa Center (NVC). NVC then contacts the petitioner in the U.S. for payment of required visa and affidavit of support fees. Once NVC completes its process, it transfers the file to the embassy having jurisdiction over the country where the beneficiary resides. The embassy then schedules an interview for the beneficiary in order to complete the consular processing.

Adjustment of Status
The adjustment of status is the second process by which a beneficiary applies to obtain a green card or permanent residence. The adjustment of status takes place entirely in the U.S. Thus, pursuant to immigration law, the beneficiary must be present in the U.S. and the green card application for the immigrant visa must be submitted to USCIS here in the U.S. The main immigration form used in the adjustment of status process is the I-485. The section of the immigration law controlling the adjustment of status process is ACT 245 of the INA.

In both consular processing and adjustment of status, the American embassy overseas and USCIS create and immigration file or immigration records for the green card applicant.

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