A visa secured through employment or family relationships allows a foreign national to live in the United States. Most visas are only valid for a few years. Immigrants can renew them, but only a certain number of times.
Those who want to remain in the United States indefinitely need to look into other options. A green card, or permanent resident card, is the next step on an immigrant’s journey after acquiring a visa. With a green card, an individual may be able to stay in the country permanently. They might also eventually choose to naturalize.
Does a green card convey the ability to remain lawfully in the United States for the rest of one’s life?
Green cards do eventually expire
While a green card holder is a permanent resident, their status is not permanent. Instead, they have to occasionally renew their green card to legally remain in the country.
Most green cards are valid for 10 years. Immigrants have to renew them approximately once a decade by submitting paperwork and undergoing a check to affirm they still meet the standards to remain in the United States.
Those with conditional green cards secured through investments or marriage may only have protection for up to two years. They may have to apply to remove their conditional status to remain in the country.
Immigrants often need help adjusting their status, removing green card conditions, renewing their green cards or preparing to naturalize, and that’s okay. Learning more about the basics of immigration law can help people explore their options. Green cards are valuable but do not offer permanent protection.