A Green Card is viewed as a mystical unattainable document from foreigners and as status all too freely given out by many US citizens. In actuality a Green Card is many things and until very recently wasn’t even Green (although originally it was at its inception). It ultimately represents Permanent Resident status in the US and bestows most of the rights of a US Citizen on to its holder barring the ability to vote, running for elected office, jury duty and some other civil benefits.

In truth the Green Card is very difficult to obtain and is extremely complex with numerous paths to attainment from employer sponsored, family sponsored, refugee, extraordinary ability, investment based and even a lottery. However there are limited caps and long waiting lists in most cases. The following articles will provide a more in depth understanding of Green Cards and Permanent Residency in the US.