The alien registration card, better known as the green card, is the government-issued Form I-551 that proves a foreign national holds lawful permanent resident status in the United States. It lets the holder live and work in the country indefinitely while keeping their original citizenship. The nickname stuck after the card was first printed on green paper in 1946, and although the design has changed many times since, the name has not.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Colorful History of the Green Card
The card is proof of status, not the status itself. That distinction matters when the card expires, when you travel, and when you decide whether to apply for citizenship.
Who Qualifies for a Green Card
Federal immigration law sorts applicants into four main pathways: family, employment, humanitarian protection, and the diversity lottery.
Family-Based Sponsorship
U.S. citizens can petition for “immediate relatives,” meaning spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents (if the sponsoring citizen is at least 21).2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1151 – Worldwide Level of Immigration There is no annual cap on immediate-relative visas, so wait times are shorter than in other family categories.
Beyond that, four preference categories carry annual numerical limits: up to 23,400 visas for unmarried adult sons and daughters of citizens, 114,200 for spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents, 23,400 for married sons and daughters of citizens, and 65,000 for siblings of adult citizens.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1153 – Allocation of Immigrant Visas No single country’s nationals can receive more than 7 percent of the visas available in a given fiscal year, which is why applicants from high-demand countries can wait years.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1152 – Numerical Limitations on Individual Foreign States
Employment-Based Pathways
Workers with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors, and multinational executives sit at the top tier of employment-based categories. Professionals with advanced degrees and skilled workers fall into the next tiers and generally need a job offer from a U.S. employer. Before filing the immigration petition, the employer usually has to obtain a permanent labor certification from the Department of Labor showing that no qualified U.S. workers are available at the prevailing wage.5U.S. Department of Labor. Permanent Labor Certification Investors can qualify through the EB-5 program by investing in a new commercial enterprise that creates at least ten full-time jobs.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. About the EB-5 Visa Classification
Humanitarian Programs
People granted refugee status or asylum can apply for a green card after being physically present in the United States for at least one continuous year, counted from the date status was granted rather than the date of arrival.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card for Asylees
Diversity Visa Lottery
Up to 55,000 green cards go each year to people from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States, selected through a random lottery. Registration is free and happens online during a limited window each fall.8U.S. Department of State. Diversity Visa Instructions
Conditional Cards Versus Ten-Year Cards
Not every green card lasts ten years. If your residency came through a marriage that was less than two years old at the time it was granted, your card is conditional and valid for only two years.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Conditional Permanent Residence You and your spouse must jointly file Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence, during the 90-day window before the card expires. Miss the window and you can lose your permanent resident status entirely. If the marriage has ended by then, waivers exist that let you file alone, but you will need to document that the marriage was genuine.
How to Apply
Federal law requires all noncitizens who stay in the United States for more than 30 days to register with the government, and the green card application satisfies that requirement.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC Chapter 12, Subchapter II, Part VII – Registration of Aliens Two forms cover most situations:
- Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, if you are already in the United States and want to change your status to permanent resident.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, if you already hold a green card and need to renew or replace it.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
For Form I-485, you will need biographical information, a valid foreign passport or government-issued birth certificate, and evidence supporting your eligibility category, such as a marriage certificate for family-based applications or an employer petition for employment-based ones. Incomplete or inconsistent answers are one of the most common reasons applications stall.
I-485 applicants also submit Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. As of December 2024, the medical form must be filed together with the I-485, and USCIS may reject the application if it is missing.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record The civil surgeon sets the exam fee, which usually runs a few hundred dollars, and the completed form comes in a sealed envelope that you should not open.
The filing fee for Form I-485 is $1,440, which now includes biometric services.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule Fee waivers are available if you can show financial hardship, such as household income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level or receipt of means-tested benefits like Medicaid or SNAP. After USCIS accepts the application, you will be scheduled for a biometrics appointment, and many cases (especially family-based) also require an in-person interview.
Legal Duties Once You Have the Card
The card is not just an ID. It carries specific obligations that last as long as you hold permanent resident status.
Carry the Card
Every permanent resident age 18 or older must carry the card at all times under 8 U.S.C. ยง 1304(e). Being caught without it is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100, up to 30 days in jail, or both.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1304 – Forms for Registration and Fingerprinting
Report Address Changes Within 10 Days
If you move, notify USCIS within 10 days by filing Form AR-11 online through your USCIS account or by mail.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card Skipping this step is a separate misdemeanor, and it can also be used as a ground for deportation unless you can show the failure was not willful or was reasonably excusable.
File U.S. Taxes on Worldwide Income
The IRS treats green card holders as U.S. tax residents from the day the card is issued, and that status continues until the card is formally surrendered or administratively terminated, even if you live abroad.17Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Tax Residency – Green Card Test You file Form 1040 each year and report income from all sources worldwide.18Internal Revenue Service. Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens Foreign tax credits and exclusions can prevent double taxation, but the filing itself is not optional. Filing as a nonresident on Form 1040-NR can signal to both the IRS and USCIS that you have abandoned your residency.
Register for Selective Service
Male permanent residents between 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service System within 30 days of their 18th birthday or within 30 days of entering the country, whichever applies.19Selective Service System. Who Needs to Register Failing to register can block federal financial aid, government employment, and eventually naturalization.
Renewing or Replacing the Card
A standard green card is valid for ten years. File Form I-90 to replace it when the card has expired or will expire within the next six months.20U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Replace Your Green Card You also need a new card if your legal name has changed, if the card is damaged or contains incorrect information, or if it was lost or stolen.21USAGov. How to Renew or Replace Your Permanent Resident Card The fee is $415 for online filing or $465 by mail, with biometrics included.22U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
An expired card does not mean you are out of status or deportable. Permanent resident status does not expire; only the card does. But an expired card makes it harder to prove your work authorization or travel rights to employers, airlines, and banks, so timely renewal matters in practice.
Traveling Abroad Without Losing Status
Leaving the country does not automatically put your card at risk, but long absences can. An absence of more than 180 days may trigger questions about abandonment when you return, because border officers can treat you as seeking readmission rather than simply coming home. An absence of more than one year creates a legal presumption that you have abandoned your permanent resident status.
That presumption can be rebutted. You can overcome it by showing you kept strong ties to the United States, including a home, employment, family, tax filings, and community connections, and that you never intended to abandon your residency. The burden is on you, and the process can involve a hearing before an immigration judge. Terminating U.S. employment, selling your property, keeping all your family and business ties abroad, or filing U.S. taxes as a nonresident all cut against you.
If you know you will be abroad for more than a year, file Form I-131 to obtain a reentry permit before you leave. The permit is valid for up to two years and removes the length of your absence as a factor in any abandonment analysis, provided you return before it expires.23USAGov. Travel Documents for Foreign Citizens Returning to the U.S. You cannot apply for a reentry permit from outside the country.
What the Card Does Not Let You Do
Permanent residents can live and work anywhere in the country, travel abroad, and receive the protection of U.S. law, but some rights stay with citizens. Noncitizens, including green card holders, cannot vote in federal or state elections.24USAGov. Who Can and Cannot Vote A few local jurisdictions allow noncitizen voting in some local elections, but that is the exception. Voting illegally in a federal election can lead to criminal charges and deportation.
Moving On to Citizenship
For most holders, the green card is a step toward naturalization. The standard path requires at least five years of permanent resident status, physical presence in the United States for at least 30 of those 60 months, and continuous residence and good moral character throughout.25U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I Am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years Spouses of U.S. citizens qualify after three years.
The application is Form N-400, and you can file it up to 90 days before completing the continuous residence requirement.26U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Naturalization The fee is $710 online or $760 by paper, biometrics included.27U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Fact Sheet – Form N-400 Filing Fees The process includes an English language test and a civics exam on U.S. history and government, with exceptions available for applicants with qualifying physical or developmental disabilities.