Okuzeka
Immigration & Visas vocabulary · Residence & Legal Status

Green card

Meaning in immigration & visas, with examples

nounCommon term

In immigration & visas, green card means: The common name for the card that shows a person is a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

In Turkish: yeşil kart, ABD kalıcı oturum kartı

How it is used

The official name is Permanent Resident Card. People get a green card through family, employment, refugee status or the Diversity Visa programme, often called the green card lottery. Green card holders can usually apply for US citizenship after several years.

Example sentences

  1. She got her green card through her employer after six years on a work visa.

  2. His green card expires in 2028, so he will have to renew it.

Common collocations

  • green card holder
  • apply for a green card
  • green card lottery
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • permanent residenceThe right to live in a country without a time limit, usually also with the right to work, even though you are not a citizen.
  • citizenshipThe legal status of being a full member of a country, with rights such as voting and holding its passport, and duties such as obeying its laws.
  • naturalisationThe legal process by which a foreign citizen becomes a citizen of the country where they live, usually after several years of residence.
  • immigration statusYour legal position in a country as a non-citizen, which decides how long you can stay and whether you can work, study or use public services.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Residence & Legal Status

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.