Applying for a U.S. Green Card Process

The green card is a certificate of permanent residence granted by the United States to people who immigrate to the United States. People who hold a green card are called permanent residents, but they are not equivalent to American citizens. U.S. citizenship has the following advantages over permanent residents:

1. Since the United States has mutual visa exemption agreements with many countries, it will be more convenient to travel to other countries with a U.S. passport;

< p>2. Can apply for immigration for parents, spouses, children and even brothers and sisters as U.S. citizens;

3. Can enjoy the same treatment as U.S. citizens in all aspects, such as medical insurance, various subsidies, citizenship Suffrage and so on.

These rights also bring corresponding obligations to naturalized citizens. Applicants for naturalization must swear an oath to renounce all allegiance to their country of origin; support and defend the U.S. Constitution and laws; swear allegiance to the United States; and actively serve the United States when needed. At the same time, citizens are also obliged to serve as jury members, perform registration, voting and other services.

So how to change from permanent resident to citizenship?

According to the procedures of U.S. immigration law, permanent residents must become naturalized U.S. citizens. Naturalization is the process by which permanent residents of the United States obtain U.S. citizenship. Sometimes permanent residents may obtain dual citizenship as a result.

You can apply for naturalization after holding legal permanent resident status for 5 years. If you are a spouse of a U.S. citizen, you can apply for naturalization after holding a green card for 3 years and maintaining the marriage relationship. Individuals applying for naturalization must provide evidence of continuous residence in the United States and have lived in the United States for at least 2 and a half years within the 5 years of holding legal resident status. If they have lived outside the United States for more than one year, they do not meet the requirements for continuous residence. Applicants must also show that they have good moral character. After receiving the naturalization application, the Naturalization Bureau will review all historical information submitted by the permanent resident when obtaining the green card. Once any flaws are found, such as fake marriage, Bad records such as fake employment will inevitably hinder the naturalization process, and may even lead to the cancellation of permanent residence, imprisonment, fines (up to US$250,000), and deportation. In addition, male green card holders who apply for naturalization before the age of 27 must fill in their draft registration number. If they fail to register for the draft, the Immigration Bureau will treat them as evaders of military service and lose their qualifications for naturalization.

The specific application process is: First, the applicant must submit a completed naturalization application form to the Immigration Bureau in the jurisdiction of the place of residence. After that, the Immigration Bureau will arrange for the applicant to go to the relevant location to apply for fingerprint files and do so for a period of time. Three months background check. After passing the investigation, the applicant will be arranged to go to the Immigration Bureau for an interview, and must pass an English listening, speaking, reading and writing test. In some cases, the English requirement for applicants will be waived, and in some cases, the applicant may even be interviewed in Chinese. Applicants may apply for a waiver if they are unable to take the test due to a disability. Applicants are then expected to understand U.S. history and government structure. After all this is successfully passed, it is time to move to the final step of the naturalization process - the oath-taking ceremony, in which the applicant swears allegiance to the United States. On the day of taking the oath, the applicant can obtain a naturalization certificate and become a U.S. citizen. If the applicant has children under the age of 18, they can apply for naturalization together with the application. Otherwise, they must wait until the children turn 18 to apply on their own.