Visas, green cards and US citizenship: understand the differences
Do you know the difference between visas, green cards and US citizenship? Warren Janssen, retired USCIS Director and immigration expert, explains each term in this article.
What is a visa?
A visa is an authorization for the applicant to apply for entry into the USA at a US port of entry (land, sea or air). It is usually issued by the State Department at an American Consulate abroad.
There are different types of visas. Temporary ones for short visits and permanent and long-term visas that can result in permanent residence.
A visa is not a guarantee that its non-immigrant or immigrant holder will be allowed to enter the USA.
Check out the content on: Green Card Interview
Customs and Border Protection(CBP) officers may deem a visa applicant inadmissible or unqualified for entry for various reasons, such as a criminal record, improper visa classifications, the applicant’s intent or the reason they are applying for entry.
What is a Green Card?
The Green Card is granted when a potential immigrant is granted permanent resident status through employment-based, family-based, humanitarian and other classifications.
Many green cards are only granted after a personal interview with a USCIS immigration officer.
Green cards are valid for a period of ten years. Always keep your Green Card safe, as replacement is expensive and time-consuming.
The Green Card holder may want to keep a copy of the card in his or her pocket in case it is requested.
Always travel internationally with your green card and passport.
What is American citizenship?
U.S. citizenship is granted through naturalization and through parents who are U.S. citizens at the time of birth or later, as long as it is before the age of 18.
Legal permanent residence status must be maintained for a period of at least 5 or 3 years, depending on the reason for which the person obtained their permanent residence.
Military service members with at least one year’s service can qualify for naturalization without any waiting period.
Naturalization is an important step for permanent residents to fully integrate into US society and offers immediate benefits, including a more secure status, the right to vote in most elections, certain government jobs and more travel options to other countries.
In general, the US government allows American citizens to keep the citizenships of other countries.