Green Card vs Citizenship

Green Card vs Citizenship

If you read enough about immigration law, you might think that a U.S. green card is the pinnacle of achievement–the end of the immigration journey. But just because you are a lawful permanent resident, doesn’t mean that there isn’t more out there. U.S. citizens enjoy rights and privileges that green card holders do not. The question is, what does it take to become a citizen and do the pros outweigh the cons in the debate of the green card vs citizenship?

How to Get a U.S. Green Card

To understand how having a green card compares to having U.S. citizenship, we need to go over the process and benefits of each. Let’s start by analyzing the process and benefits that go along with getting a green card.

There are several different ways to get a green card in the U.S. including employment, family, marriage, investment, asylum, and a green card lottery. Because employment and family are the two most common methods of obtaining a green card, we’ll cover those methods briefly.

Employment-Based Green Card

As the name suggests, these green cards are obtained through your job or occupation in the U.S. Many of these require that you have a valid job offer of employment from a U.S. employer, though some allow you to petition for yourself and are based more on personal achievement rather than your job. These immigrant visas make use of the I-140 petition.

Additionally, some require a PERM Labor Certification, which requires a sponsoring employer to determine the prevailing wage to pay you and to go through a recruitment process to see if there are any qualified U.S. workers that would be displaced if you were to start working for that employer.

Here is a list of the employment-based green cards that you can choose from:

Family-Based Green Card

These green cards are awarded based on which family member is able to sponsor you. To get one of these, your sponsor will need to file the I-130 petition.

Here are the family-based green cards:

As you can see, we have already encountered a benefit of citizenship over green card status. As we’ll discuss later, citizenship allows you greater preference and flexibility when it comes to sponsoring other family members for green cards.

Green Card Process

Once you know which green card you are applying for, you will need to have your sponsor (whether that is you, your employer, or your family member) file the right petition along with any required supporting evidence. Keep in mind that the I-130 and I-140 are just for family and employment-based green cards. Other green cards may require a different form.

Your priority date will be the day that the USCIS receives your petition. Keep an eye on the latest visa bulletins provided by the Department of State. When the final action date in your green card category for your country of origin reaches your priority date, you will be able to either adjust your status or go through consular processing.

Permanent Resident Advantages

Once you have your green card, you will be granted the following rights and privileges:

Green Card Renewal

While your green card status is permanent, the physical card is not. You will need to renew your card every ten years and pay the $455 filing fee along with an $85 biometrics fee, totaling at $540. If you have not violated your status or committed a crime in the U.S., your green card should be renewed without complication.

What is the Naturalization Process?

Changing your status from lawful permanent resident to U.S. citizen is done through a process called naturalization. In contrast to the various ways that you can get a green card, there is only one way to become a U.S. citizen.

Here are the main requirements to apply for naturalization:

If you meet these requirements, you will need to file an N-400 with the USCIS with a copy of your green card and processing fee of $640 with a biometric fee of $85 totaling at $725. Once your application has been processed, you will be asked to come into an office for an interview.

Keep in mind that this is not like a consular processing interview for a visa or green card. You will be required to take a test to be naturalized. Here are some things you should know well in preparation for this interview test:

If your interview is favorable, you will need to set up a biometrics appointment and to take the U.S. Oath of Allegiance before completing your transition from green card holder to full-fledged U.S. citizen.

Also, your child may be able to be naturalized if you are a U.S. citizen and he or she was born outside of the U.S.

What are the Benefits of U.S. Citizenship?

Outside of obtaining citizenship through marriage or U.S. military service, many use the green card as a stepping stone to citizenship. But the question is, once you have your green card, is it worth it to go through the naturalization process? One thing to consider is the fact that you will be granted naturalization rights.

Here are some reasons to consider becoming a U.S. citizen:

Keep in mind that the green card renewal process is cheaper than the naturalization process ($540 vs $725). However, since naturalization requires a one-time fee, you are ultimately saving yourself hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the long run.

Ultimately, green card status, while not as tentative as a nonimmigrant visa, can still be revoked and has limitations. To enjoy all the benefits that come with being a U.S. citizen, naturalization is usually the preferable choice.

How VisaNation Law Group Can Help

Making the switch from a green card to U.S. citizenship can be tricky, especially when you consider the naturalization test. You want to get it right the first time because failure will mean a substantial amount of wasted time and money. VisaNation Law Group works tirelessly on your behalf to help you make the right decisions concerning your immigration journey. Their team of attorneys has helped countless green-card holders make the transition to becoming citizens.