A Green Card is documentation that establishes permanent resident status for citizens who aren’t American. It is similar to but not the same as naturalized citizen rights which provide additional benefits like voting and running for public office. Naturalization requires five years of residency and proof of good character; these requirements can be waived if you are married to an American citizen though requirements lessen over time regardless. Green cards are renewed every ten years thereafter until one reaches retirement age where they no longer need renewal unless their status changes (divorce etc.) Exceptions such as minors and students only affect green cards requiring renewal at different times and under differing conditions than other adult green card holders. For example, children reach majority at 21 so their parents must either petition on behalf of them at age 21 or wait another decade assuming all eligibility criteria still apply before doing so unless other exceptions apply e.g.. marriage alters eligibility timing after two full years of residency without any incidents causing disqualification per USCIS.

USCIS stands for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security that administers the nation's lawful immigration system. USCIS is responsible for a wide range of immigration-related functions those include: -Administering the naturalization process for people who want to become U.S. citizens

Someone born elsewhere but now has official permission to stay here legally without needing continued renewals except under exceptional unforeseen events. If someone was a child when their parents qualified for legal entry then children grow into adulthood very quickly while still attending school with delayed minor status expiration dates. Unlike green cards, lawful permanent residents automatically filed for naturalized U.S. citizenship receive a certificate valid for federal elections balloting, run future campaigns

Conditional Permanent Residence is a status granted to some immigrants allowing them to live and work in the country based on certain stipulations, referred to as "conditions," which they must meet in order to maintain their status beyond a specified deadline. Meeting these conditions typically involves proving compliance with existing laws or government regulations related to investments, job creation or various types of business developments in connection with commercial enterprises designed to benefit larger communities more broadly defined according to prevailing social values or national interests.

Green Card applications can be denied due to several reasons such as failing to provide proper documentation, submitting incomplete forms, errors in information provided, criminal history or violation of US immigration laws, being outside of the designated family preference categories or employment-based categories, or not meeting required education, skills, or experience thresholds necessary for specific visa classifications reserved for highly skilled foreign workers contributing to American competitiveness via specialized services or exceptional abilities.

Yes, you can work in the U.S. while waiting for your green card, but only if you have an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). An EAD is a document issued by USCIS that allows you to work in the United States. You can apply for an EAD as part of your green card application, or you can apply for it separately.

The Visa Bulletin refers to the State Department's monthly publication that provides updates about availability of both employment-based and family-based permanent residence immigrant visas. It includes cutoff dates which show whether petition filers are eligible to apply immediately for adjustment of status, or if not yet qualified will need to wait longer for next possible chance upon reevaluation during following fiscal quarter

Biometric Screening refers to the process of collecting physical data measurements or images that capture distinctive traits used for identification or security purposes including fingerprints and facial recognition scans often accompanied by name checks matching individuals against various watchlists containing names and aliases suspected of posing risks.

Deferred action is a discretionary determination to defer removal of an individual as an act of prosecutorial discretion. For purposes of future inadmissibility based on prior periods of unlawful presence in the United States, an individual is not considered to be unlawfully present during the period when deferred action is in effect.

On June 15, 2012, the secretary of homeland security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several key guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of 2 years, subject to renewal, and, if approved, will then be eligible for work authorization if they can demonstrate economic necessity.

Yes. Under the regulations at 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(33) , if you receive DACA under the DACA final rule, you may obtain employment authorization from USCIS provided you can demonstrate an economic necessity for employment.

Yes. Under the regulations at 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(33) , if you receive DACA under the DACA final rule, you may obtain employment authorization from USCIS provided you can demonstrate an economic necessity for employment.

Yes. If you are currently in immigration detention, you may request consideration of DACA from USCIS. However, if we decide to grant you DACA, we will not approve your DACA request until you are released from detention. If you are requesting DACA, you should tell your deportation officer.

If you believe you can demonstrate that you meet the guidelines and are about to be removed, you should immediately contact your case officer or the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line

If you meet the guidelines and have been served a detainer, you should immediately contact the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line

No. You can only request consideration of DACA under this process if, at the time of submitting your request and at the time of adjudication of your request, you have no immigration status and were not in any lawful status on June 15, 2012.

Yes. You must undergo biographic and biometric background checks before we will consider your DACA request.

Background checks involve checking biographic and biometric information provided by an individual against a variety of databases maintained by DHS and other federal government agencies.