TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Green Card or permanent resident card is an immigration status that allows its holders to become permanent residents of the United States and legally work in the country.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in its website explained that the card is known as "Green Card" due to its historical greenish color from 1946 to 1964. Today, no matter the color, permanent resident of the United States aged 18 and above must always bring their green card.

What is a Green Card?

Throughout the 19th to early 20th century, immigration to the United States was ungoverned. After the Civil War, the US Supreme Court introduced the first innovation, leading to the establishment of The Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1933.

Citing The American Dream, the basis for the present day's Green Card emerged during World War II, with Congress launching the Alien Registration Act of 1940.

The card varies in its validity period; two, five, and ten years. Cardholders may wait seven years to change their nationality to American. 

The Green Card in its modern form consists of several elements or data; surname, given name, country of birth, USCIS number, visa category, date of birth, sex, expiry date, appliance date, fingerprints, photo, and holograms. 

The visa category explained how people gained their Green Cards, for example; DV1 for Diversity Visa Lottery and CR1 for conditional residence. 

People could apply for a Green Card through the following means:

- Sponsorship by a family member

- Employment (immigrant workers and investors)

- Apply as a special immigrant (religious worker)

- Apply as human trafficking and crime victims

- Apply as victims of abuse

- Other categories (e.g. Diversity Visa)

- Through registry (For certain people who resided continuously in the U.S. since before Jan. 1, 1972)

YOLANDA AGNE

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