Can I stay in the US without a Green Card? The US Green Card is an immigration visa that grants the holder an unlimited residence and work permit for the USA. It is one of the most popular documents in the world and opens the door for thousands of USA fans to the United States of America every year! Learn more about the advantages and how you can win a Green Card in the US DV Lottery!
Can I stay in the US without a Green Card?
An immigration in the meaning of a permanent residence with free choice of residence and job is only possible with a Green Card or US citizenship.
There are of course various visa categories, e.g. a student visa, for which you can apply. However, these are always issued for a limited time and are also tied to strict requirements, such as employment with a specified employer.
Since then, the signature of the Green Card holder is no longer shown on the card:
What is a Green Card?
The United States Permanent Resident Card (official: Form I-551, colloquial: Green Card) is an identification document of the United States. Upon application, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues the document to persons who are not yet U.S. citizens but who have settled in the United States with the intention of immigrating. Holders of the card are known as Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) or in short Permanent Residents. The name Green Card is derived from the first ID cards, which bore green lettering and a greenish colored photo.
The Green Card differs from other visas in allowing its holder to stay and work in the USA for an unlimited period of time; it is not pasted into the passport like any other visa, but forms an independent identification document. The legal status of permanent residence in the USA is the middle of three stages on the way to being naturalized:
- Immigrant visa
- Permanent Residency with Green Card
- US citizenship
