What Financial And Related Public Benefits Are Green
The types of cash or other public benefits a permanent resident can receive depend, naturally, on the eligibility requirements of the specific program. Precise benefit amounts depend on the federal, state, or county that’s providing the benefit, as well as factors such as family size. To find out whether you meet the eligibility requirements for a public benefit, you’ll need to inquire with a local public benefits office. This article will give you an overview of the programs that green card holders are most likely to be eligible for.
Note that the federal names of benefit programs discussed here might have different names in the state or county where you live. For example, what the federal government calls “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families” , is called “CalWORKs” in California.
In addition, some counties and states have special public benefits programs that are intended for immigrants who cannot qualify for federal public benefit programs. For example, in California some immigrants do not qualify for federal Supplemental Security Income because of their immigration status. But they can potentially receive assistance through the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants .
How Do I Get The Green Card After Approval
Once the immigrant visa is approved, the applicant receives a stamp in their passport, which serves as a temporary equivalent to the Green Card. In addition, they will receive a sealed envelope with documents, which must not be opened.
During the Green Card activation trip, the envelope must be handed to the border officials upon arrival in the US.
After that, the physical Green Card will be printed and sent to the US postal address of the Green Card holder. Only addresses within the USA are allowed here.
Can Green Card Holders Receive Temporary Assistance For Needy Families
TANF is a federal program that provides money to states to reduce poverty. Low-income families that qualify receive cash assistance, but must also participate in job training and other programs designed to eliminate dependence on cash assistance.
In most states, LPRs who have maintained their lawful resident status for five years can qualify for TANF, assuming they meet other program requirements. A handful of states require 40 quarters of work before providing TANF benefits.
Even if an LPR meets general eligibility requirements, however, it is possible that the “deeming rules” described above will prevent the person from receiving TANF.
Many states have programs that provide cash assistance to immigrants who are not eligible for TANF, although the benefit levels are sometimes lower, and other restrictions and time limits might apply.
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Employment Third Preference : Skilled Workers Professionals And Unskilled Workers
A Third Preference applicant must have an approved Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Form I-140, filed by the prospective employer. All such workers generally require labor certification approved by the Department of Labor. Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Unskilled Workers receive 28.6 percent of the yearly worldwide limit of employment-based immigrant visas, plus any unused visas from the Employment First Preference and Second Preference categories.
There are three subgroups within this category:
Foreign Employees Of The Us Government Abroad May Based On Years Of Loyalty Or Other Special Circumstances Qualify For Us Lawful Permanent Residence
The U.S. government employs tens of thousands of foreign employees in countries where it operatesat foreign service establishments including U.S. embassies or consulates, military bases, and offices of organizations such as the Peace Corps or the U.S. Agency for International Development.
These foreign employees of the U.S. government abroad, including so-called “foreign-service nationals” and “third-country nationals” , can serve in a variety of nondiplomatic and non-sensitive roles. These might include embassy security guards, translators, procurement specialists, or even political advisers. In addition, they might include local individual private contractors who are hired and paid directly by the U.S. government, but not people who are hired or paid through contractors.
Such foreign employees often remain in their functions for several years, while their U.S. citizen colleagues and supervisors are regularly rotated around various countries. In recognition of such loyalty, the U.S. government has made available a special type of immigrant visa and green card though the employment fourth-preference category.
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Green Card Through Job Offer
To get a Green Card through a job offer, employers must complete and file Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker, for the person they are interested in hiring.
If the person is living inside the U.S., Form I-140 has been approved, and there is a Green Card available for this category, the person must file Form I-485, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The documents that must be submitted with the I-485 are the following:
- A copy of the approval notice
- Two color photographs taken within the last 30 days
- Form G-325A, Biographic Data Sheet
- Form I-693, Medical Examination
- A letter from employer with the job offer
- Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, which has been completed by the employer
If the person is living outside the U.S., he or she will be applying for a Green Card through Consular Processing. Consular Processing involves the USCIS and the Department of State and those two agencies work together to approve Form I-140 and issue the Green Card when it becomes available.
How To Avoid Scams
You will not receive an email message notifying you about winning a visa from the U.S. Government. In addition, no other organization or private company is authorized to notify DV applicants. Check your visa status online.
All emails related to visa applications will only come from a “.gov” email address, which is the official U.S. government email account. All visa-related correspondence coming from an address that does not end with “.gov” should be considered suspicious.
To avoid scams, apply directly to U.S. government websites which end in “.gov.”
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Sponsor A Foreign Spouse Future Spouse Or Relative
Your status determines who you can bring to live and work in the United States.
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can sponsor:
If you are a permanent resident, you can sponsor:
If you have been a refugee or asylee within the past two years, you can petition for certain family members to obtain refugee or asylee status.
If you or a member of your family is in the U.S. military, you may petition for citizenship for family members.
Apply For An Employment
Due to the strict burden of proof and high costs for US employers, obtaining a Green Card through the workplace is hard and relatively rare. Those who still wish to go through the application process for a work-based Green Card must choose one of the five categories:
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EB-1A |
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Special Immigrants and Religious Workers |
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EB-5 |
Investors |
The classification into the five preference categories already gives an indication that waiting times of varying lengths will occur. In many cases, these waiting times can be avoided with an expensive process acceleration .
Unfortunately, obtaining the required Labor Certification is also time-consuming and expensive. This certificate proves that the job for which a foreign employee is to receive the Green Card cannot be filled by a US citizen instead.
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Types Of Green Card Scams
There are many scams related to green cards and U.S. visas.
Fee for Green Card Lottery Scams: In this scam, companies or individuals claim that, for a fee, they can make it easier to enter the U.S. Department of State’s annual Diversity Immigrant Visa program or increase your chances of being selected. No organizations are authorized to assist with the green card lottery process, nor are they able to increase your chances of being selected for a visa.
Helping With Visa Applications: There are websites that offer to process visa paperwork or request money to complete lottery forms. The only official way to apply for the Diversity Visa lottery is directly through the official U.S. Department of State website during the registration period. There is no fee to apply.
Fees for Government Forms: There is never a fee to pay for a U.S. government form. If a website is charging for government forms, it’s a scam. Government forms and instructions for completing them are always free from the government agency that issues them.
Identity Theft: In addition to soliciting payments for visa services, scammers may also seek your confidential information for identity theft purposes. Do not disclose any personal information on third-party websites or via email.
Benefits Of A Green Card In The Us
Citizens of foreign countries can become lawful residents of America. As proof of their lawful status, the United States issues them identification documents, called permanent resident cards. These resident cards issued to lawful residents are commonly known as Green Cards.
Permanent residents are eligible for several benefits and the Green Cards issued to them come with the following benefits. If you hold a U.S. Green Card and if you are a permanent resident of America, you can enjoy the following benefits.
If you wish to become a U.S. citizen, you may apply for naturalization, a process through which eligible permanent residents may become U.S. citizens. However, to become a naturalized American citizen, you will have to satisfy some eligibility requirements. If you do not want to become a U.S. citizen, you may remain permanently in the country as a permanent resident, provided that you do not abandon your status. If you choose to be a permanent resident, forever, remember that you must renew your Green Card every ten years.
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Employment Fourth Preference : Certain Special Immigrants
A Fourth Preference applicant must be the beneficiary of an approved Petition for Amerasian, Widow, or Special Immigrant, Form I-360, with the exception of Certain Employees or Former Employees of the U.S. Government Abroad . Labor certification is not required for any of the Certain Special Immigrants subgroups. Special Immigrants receive 7.1 percent of the yearly worldwide limit of employment-based immigrant visas.
There are many subgroups within this category:
Travel Documents For Foreign Residents Returning To The Us
You may need additional documents to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad if:
- You are a foreign citizen living in the U.S., or
- You have a Permanent Resident Card
You should obtain these necessary documents before your trip. You can get them from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services .
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Foreign Employees Of The Us Government Applying For Green Cards
The U.S. maintains a physical presence in many foreign countries, including locations such as military bases, embassies, and consulates. A large percentage of the employees at these locations are foreign nationals. Some of them are citizens of the country where they work, but others are citizens of other countries. If they show significant loyalty to the U.S. by staying in their jobs for a long time, they may be able to get an immigrant visa and a green card. The foreign nationals spouse and children also may be able to qualify for this status.
You can apply for this type of green card as either a current employee or an honorably retired employee of the U.S. government. Honorable retirement means that you were not fired and did not resign to avoid being fired. It includes people who were laid off during a general reduction in force. You would need to have accumulated at least 15 total years of faithful service, and you would need to provide a recommendation from the principal officer of a U.S. foreign service establishment. Faithful service does not have a precise definition and will be evaluated under the specific circumstances. A principal officer is the head of a field office of a U.S. government agency, such as an ambassador or consul.
Rights Of An Individual With Permanent Resident Status
It is important to understand your rights as a permanent resident within the United States. The U.S. Constitution mandates that permanent residents are treated equally with respect to their rights to earn a living. With certain limited exceptions, permanent residents must be given an equal opportunity for employment and shall not be discriminated against based upon national origin, citizenship or race. An employer who refuses to hire an applicant simply because he is a permanent resident has committed an unconstitutional, discriminatory act.
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Apply For An Investment
With a large financial investment in a US company, it is possible to acquire a Green Card. The minimum amount for this is $ 900,000 in rural or economically weak regions. In all other cases, $ 1.8 million is required.
The EB-5 visa issued here is equivalent to a Green Card on probation. After two years , the residency status is adjusted upon application and the investor becomes a Lawful Permanent Resident.
Weighing The Benefits Of A Us Green Card And The Responsibilities Of Being A Lawful Permanent Resident
A U.S. green card allows a person to live and work in the United States and start the process to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. This card makes the holder a permanent resident of the United States, entitled to many of the same benefits as a citizen, but not all.
Every year, the U.S. government issues more than one million green cards. In 2019, an estimated 13.9 million green card holders lived in the United States with lawful permanent resident status, of which 9.1 million were eligible to become citizens. Permanent resident status is usually given to three categories: those people who already have a green card and are issued a new one, relatives of U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and workers in the U.S. on employment visas.
This guide looks at both the benefits of getting a green card, as well as a few things to consider.
In this guide, you will learn about:
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Applying For A Green Card As A Foreign Employee Of The Us Government
The first step is to ask your supervisor about your eligibility, or your former supervisor if you are retired. They can let you know whether they will provide a recommendation for you. Then, the supervisor will send the recommendation to the Advisory Opinions Division of the U.S. State Department, together with documents supporting the recommendation. The State Department has the discretion to approve or deny the recommendation.
If the State Department approves the recommendation, you will need to file Form DS-1884 with the consulate in your area. You do not need to pay any fees. The petition will remain valid for six months, so you should be prepared to apply for your immigrant visa within that time. If an unexpected delay arises, you can apply for an extension. If you are not inadmissible to the U.S., you should be able to get the immigrant visa without trouble. It will remain valid for the next year, so you will need to come to the U.S. within that time.
Green Card Application Process
The green card application process differs based on the method in which one seeks to obtain a green card. The steps will depend on your personal circumstances.
Generally, an employer will fill out an I-140 approval notice, which grants the employer the option to employ a foreign national on a permanent basis. In some instances, foreign nationals with exceptional abilities can self-petition for an I-140 filing.
Once the petition is approved, the foreign national can apply for a green card through Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence, or Adjust Status. With this application, the foreign national can request to remove any conditional requirements from his or her status. If the priority date for the foreign national is current, he or she should be able to file the I-485 and I-140 at the same time.
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Immigration Law Requirements On Employing Citizens And Aliens
For any work to be performed in the United States, immigration law requires private and public employers to hire only individuals who are eligible to be employed. Those individuals are:
- A citizen or national of the United States,
- An alien assigned by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services , Department of Homeland Security, to a class of immigrants authorized to be employed , or
- An individual alien who is expressly authorized by CIS to be employed.
Please contact the local CIS office with questions about an individuals citizenship, nationality, immigration status, or eligibility for employment under the immigration law.
Although an alien may be authorized to work under the immigration laws, he or she is still subject to the requirements of Executive Order 11935 and appropriations act restrictions, as stated above.
Jobs For Green Card Holders
An individual holding a “green card” is more accurately classified as a permanent resident of the United States. This status signifies that the U.S. government has authorized the person to live and work in the United States. Once such authorization is granted, the person is given a card stating his or her legal status. This card has been coined a “green card.” There are many job opportunities for a permanent resident of the United States. Depending on his language proficiency, a permanent resident can apply for nearly all the types of positions available to U.S. citizens. However, some restrictions do apply.
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