You might be asking what the distinction between a “green card” and a “visa” is if you’ve been considering moving to or traveling to the United States. There is considerable overlap: visas are typically used to enter the nation by those with green cards, but only some who have a visa have or will obtain a green card. Use this tutorial to learn the distinctions between a visa and a green card.
Check Out:
- Complete List Of Visa Free Countries For Brazil Passport Holders In 2023
- Requirements for Tourist Visa in Australia With Sponsor for 2023
- Canada Student Visa Guide: Requirements, Fees, Study Permit, Application Process
What is Visa?
Would you like to visit or maybe immigrate to the U.S.? Most travelers who want to enter the United States must have a visa to be accepted. Before departure, you must apply for them at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Two categories of visas exist:
Non-immigrant visas: These permit the bearer to travel to the U.S. for specific reasons, such as employment, study, medical treatment, or business travels, for a predetermined time with a predetermined departure date. Since they are only valid temporarily, their holders cannot settle permanently in the U.S.
Immigrant visas are more challenging, but they are necessary to enter the country to stay permanently and are a step toward obtaining a green card. This visa is required before entering the United States, and applying for it entails a more involved process. Typically, a family member sponsored the holder. An immigrant visa by itself is not a route to citizenship.
What is a Green Card?
The permanent resident of the United States is indicated by a tangible document called a “green card,” which allows the bearer to work and travel within the country legally. Green cards are formally a category of visa that permits permanent residency. Following the entry into the country, green cards are given out. Applications are made to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; to be eligible, the applicant must possess an immigrant visa (USCIS). Those with a green card can apply for citizenship after three to five years. Green cards come in a broader range of forms than visas, including but not limited to the following:
Family-based: Applicants may be immediate family members of current U.S. citizens and other green card holders. These include direct family members, including parents, siblings, children, and the widows and widowers of citizens or those with green cards.
Employment-based: Green cards may be granted to specific individuals and, in some situations, their immediate families in connection with their employment. Holders of humanitarian green cards include refugees, asylum seekers, and people who have been victims of human trafficking, crime, or abuse. Winners of the green card lottery The U.S. government chooses up to 50,000 applicants at random each year from a pool of submissions it receives from six geographical areas, including Oceania, Africa, and Asia. People from nations with a low recent immigration rate to the United States are given preference. Research the Diversity Visa Lottery in greater detail. In an odd bureaucratic oddity, green cards must be renewed every ten years even though they grant perpetual possessor status. Only under particular circumstances, like committing a felony, can residency withdraw.
Difference Between Visa and Green Card
The main distinction between a green card and a visa is when to apply for one: a green card is obtained after arrival, but a visa is obtained before travel. Before traveling, visas should be obtained. They often take the form of a passport stamp and allow entrance into the United States. Visas do not always permit an indefinite stay. Non-immigrant visas are issued for a certain period, which may vary depending on the purpose of the trip, and eventually expire. Most of the time, non-immigrant visas do not lead to permanent residence status. Although they might initiate the application for permanent resident status, immigrant visas do not give resident status in and of themselves. A green card is a tangible document that certifies the holder’s eligibility to live and work in the U.S. forever. Only after arriving in the U.S. may green cards be obtained. A green card can only be issued once an immigrant visa has been secured. A person with a green card can apply for citizenship.
Differences Between Green Card and U.S. Visa Types
The U.S. offers four different sorts of green cards:
- Green Card for a family.
- Green Card for work-related reasons.
- Green Card for inhabitants who move back.
- For the diversity visa, a Green Card is.
In contrast, the U.S. offers more than 100 different visa categories, with some of the most common visas being:
- B1/B2 visitor visa. Temporary B visas are given to anyone who wants to go to the U.S. for pleasure or business.
- F1 student visa Foreign nationals accepted into U.S. study programs are given a student visa, typically for a year to two years after arrival.
- Visitor’s exchange visa J1. The exchange visitor visa is for those participating in a specific educational program or attending an exchange program in the U.S.
Requirement for Green Card
You must include personal information on the application form, including a digital photo, your first and last names, your date of birth, your country and place of birth, and your level of education. Except for their passport information, each member of your family must provide this information as well.
How to Get a Green Card
Request a Green Card If qualified, file Form I-485 – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status with USCIS, together with all required fees. After reviewing your application, USCIS will arrange a time for you to interview. Your Green Card has a ten-year validity period once it is issued.
Applying for Visas and Green Cards
Visa applications aren’t as tricky or drawn out as Green Card applications. However, if you need clarification, you should always consult a lawyer, U.S. consulate, or embassy in your country. Because it is a simple process to become a lawful citizen of the United States, the Green Card Program receives the majority of applications from immigrants. This is the better choice if you want a stable job in the nation. To avoid any potential immigration scams, you should, like with a visa application, only rely on reliable sources.
Main Target Is USA Audience.
A collection of people recognized as potential clients of a firm is known as a target audience. Target audience members are comparable in age, region, and socioeconomic standing. A target audience’s definition aids in the development of more effective marketing communications. Neglecting other prospective clients might result from concentrating solely on a target demographic.
Green Card Benefits Over Visa
The following are some benefits of having a Green Card:
- Possess equal rights as a U.S. citizen (without voting).
- From the U.S., you can freely travel abroad.
- After five years, they have the opportunity of obtaining U.S. citizenship.
- For people who desire to settle permanently in the United States, a Green Card offers more significant advantages than a visa.
- You will need a visa if you wish to stay in the U.S. for a while.