Benefits & Responsibilities
Benefits of Immigration to the USA
Foreign nationals who have been issued a United States Permanent Resident Visa can receive many benefits, including the ability to:
- Live anywhere in the United States
- Travel between any of the 50 states in the USA
- Enjoy the freedoms that America is famous for
- Apply for a Social Security Card
- Open a bank account
- Work full-time in the USA
- Start their own business
- Own property in the USA
- Receive Medicare benefits, if eligible
- Join specific branches of the US military
- Apply to receive a driver’s license in the state of residence
- Travel to and from the US according to certain regulations
- Possess a firearm (unless there are state or other regulations prohibiting this)
- Receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), if eligible
- Request US permanent residency for a spouse or unmarried children
- Have access to educational opportunities (e.g., public school, college, university)
- Apply for US citizenship after living in the USA as a permanent resident at least five years and meeting other criteria
Responsibilities of Immigration to the USA
In addition to the many benefits enjoyed by American Green Card holders, there are also certain responsibilities that come with being issued a United States Permanent Resident Visa, including:
- Carrying proof of one’s legal status in the United States at all times, such as the Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”), if one is 18-years-old or older
- Showing one’s Green Card to US immigration officials or law enforcement officers if requested
- Maintaining one’s legal immigration status, such as by renewing the Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card before it expires (the Green Card is valid for 10 years and must be renewed before its expiration date)
- Not leaving the USA for a long period of time or moving to a different country to reside there permanently (this could result in a loss of US permanent resident status)
- Obeying all local, state and federal laws in the United States
- Notifying the Department of Homeland Security of a new address within 10 days of moving (this can be done online or in writing)
- Paying federal, state and local taxes, as required
- Registering with the US Armed Forces Selective Service if 18-26 years of age (the US has had an all-volunteer military force for decades, so registering for Selective Service is required by law just in case a military draft is required at some point in the future)