A Green Card or Permanent Resident Card is a permanent visa to USA. Green Card gives you the status of a permanent resident along with legal rights to work in USA. Once you have a green card, you may apply for USA Citizenship after a few years of stay in USA. The Green Card does not affect your present citizenship status. Typically green card is issued for 10 years, it can be renewed by submitting green card renewal application.

Benefits of holding a Green Card
Permanent U.S. resident status, which allows you

·the freedom to leave and return to the U.S.,
·to seek employment,
·to study
·to expand your business in US
·same rights as an American citizen, and
·as an Indian you can also retain your citizenship in your native country.

Different ways to obtain a Green Card
1.Employment Based: Obtaining a Green card through employer (example EB1, EB2, EB3)
2.Investment in the US via a Regional Centre or directly (EB5)
3.Be sponsored by family member who lives in USA
4.Participate Green card lottery (select countries are eligible)
5.Green card through asylum & refugee status

Remember:
·Green card doesn’t mean citizenship.
·You may apply for citizenship after holding Green card status for a certain period of time.
·Green card is not issued for life time, but only for a specific period (normally for 10 years). It needs to be ·revalidated after that period.
·There are certain conditions in order to maintain the status of Green card.