Types of Green Cards

A green card is issued to an individual who is not a resident of the United States of America. Green cards are issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration services and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The name was originally established as green card because it was originally issued in a light green color.

Green cards give an immigrant the ability to work legally within the United States. This also requires that the immigrants pay taxes. Green cards are renewed by the recipient every ten years. This doesn't make the green card holder a citizen of the United States. There are several different types of green cards available to immigrants.

• United States citizens can sponsor an immediate family member to receive a green card. Immediate family is considered a spouse, a child under the age of 21, siblings, and parents. Due to this being federal regulations same sex partners are not able to sponsor each other.


• Preferred employees and workers can obtain a green card. These applicants must have very specialized skills to warrant obtaining the type of green card. An example is a professor, researcher, manager, and executives.


• Refuge and political asylum that have received persecution in their home country are eligible. This is determined by race, religion, nationality, political beliefs and members of targeted social group can obtain green cards.


• Long term illegal residents who have been living in the United States for an extended period of time can receive a green card. The registry program offers green cards to individuals who have been living in the US since January 1972.


• Certain special immigrants are able to obtain a green card if they meet certain criteria including former long time employees of the US, former employees of the Panama canal zone, medical graduates who have been in the US since 1978, and retired officers and employees of international organizations.