difference between green card and us citzenship
- Thread starter baboon
- Start date
Most obvious rights that come with citizenship are:
1. you can vote in Federal elections
2. you can run for Federal office (except President)
3. you can apply for Federal jobs.
The other practical advantages of Citizenship over a Green Card are in my opinion:
you can travel in and out of the United States freely and for as long as you like and as often as you like
you can sponsor members of your family to join you here
and you will have the same protections and rights as a citizenship, whereas holding a Green Card you do not have the same legal protections and rights.
I am sure there are many more, but thats what I can think of right now.
1. you can vote in Federal elections
2. you can run for Federal office (except President)
3. you can apply for Federal jobs.
The other practical advantages of Citizenship over a Green Card are in my opinion:
you can travel in and out of the United States freely and for as long as you like and as often as you like
you can sponsor members of your family to join you here
and you will have the same protections and rights as a citizenship, whereas holding a Green Card you do not have the same legal protections and rights.
I am sure there are many more, but thats what I can think of right now.
Don't forget:
If you are a US citizen,
1) You can obtain a security clearance if you apply for defense jobs or intelligence jobs or some federal jobs.
2) You don't need any visa to travel to most of the European countries, Mexico, Canada, Caribbean islands, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and almost every other country.
3) You can bring your spouse and your parents (no waiting time) and your siblings (waiting period is much less)
If you are a US citizen,
1) You can obtain a security clearance if you apply for defense jobs or intelligence jobs or some federal jobs.
2) You don't need any visa to travel to most of the European countries, Mexico, Canada, Caribbean islands, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and almost every other country.
3) You can bring your spouse and your parents (no waiting time) and your siblings (waiting period is much less)
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
One of the biggest differences, which I'm surprised nobody above mentioned:
Citizens (who have appropriate proof of citizenship) can never be deported or refused entry to the US.
Green card holders can be deported or refused entry for committing a crime or failing to comply with other requirements for maintaining their status.
Citizens (who have appropriate proof of citizenship) can never be deported or refused entry to the US.
Green card holders can be deported or refused entry for committing a crime or failing to comply with other requirements for maintaining their status.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
In most cases if you are a citizen, your children will be citizens at birth even if born outside the US. As a result of having citizenship at birth, there will be no legal barriers to bring them to the US at any time later in their life.
But if you are a permanent resident and have a child born outside the US, there are various conditions regarding if and when you can bring your child to the US.
But if you are a permanent resident and have a child born outside the US, there are various conditions regarding if and when you can bring your child to the US.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
One disadvantage of being a US citizen is that you have to serve jury duty (although some see it as advantage because they like to serve), whereas permanent residents are not allowed to be on juries (with the possible exception of New York where I've heard they've been forcing PRs to serve).
Per the current visa bulletin the wait time for siblings (family 4th pref) is almost 11 years (priority date = 22OCT98). PHILIPPINES (priority date = 08AUG86) and MEXICO (priority date = 15JUN95) are a lot longer than that.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_4512.html
Am I not looking at the correct wait times? Because I want to sponsor my sibling and would love it if the wait time was not 11 years
. If there's another way I don't know of -- please share . Can't tell you how happy it would make me to have them over here as PRs.I believe that the practice of forcing PRs to serve on juries has been ended by NYS. However, I personally know someone who was an LPR and was forced to serve on a jury a couple of years ago.
Speaking of juries, I recently received a juror questionnaire and can no longer use the LPR excuse...oh well!
Well I guess since I recently became a citizen, the only difference is that I don't have to carry the card anymore. I can choose to go out to another country and stay there for as long as I wan't. If I choose to get married, i can bring my spouse over and apply for resident(if she i not a citizen already that is).
I also don't have to worry about being deported for all kind of crimes.
Not that I am am going to do any crimes, but I was reading somewhere, that they deported a German national for two DUIs-she had a greencard from when she was 2 or 3 and lived here all her life and at 40 something they deported her-she doesn't speak German. So I don't have to worry about changes in immigration law-who knows they may make speeding a deportable offense! Then I will be in trouble if I still was in a greencard!
I also don't have to worry about being deported for all kind of crimes.
Not that I am am going to do any crimes, but I was reading somewhere, that they deported a German national for two DUIs-she had a greencard from when she was 2 or 3 and lived here all her life and at 40 something they deported her-she doesn't speak German. So I don't have to worry about changes in immigration law-who knows they may make speeding a deportable offense! Then I will be in trouble if I still was in a greencard!
This is not correct. I have been summoned for jury duty many times in NY, and had to bring along my PR card to get off the hook.
Per the current visa bulletin the wait time for siblings (family 4th pref) is almost 11 years (priority date = 22OCT98). PHILIPPINES (priority date = 08AUG86) and MEXICO (priority date = 15JUN95) are a lot longer than that.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_4512.html
Am I not looking at the correct wait times? Because I want to sponsor my sibling and would love it if the wait time was not 11 years
Well, it can be changed depends on the department of state (or Congress or President) in the future. for example, sometimes it can be changed to "current". you never know!
This is not correct. I have been summoned for jury duty many times in NY, and had to bring along my PR card to get off the hook.
Forcing PR to serve on jury and summoning PRs for jury is different. In the later case, the courts do not even know who are citizens and who are not.
They just randomly select candidates from vehicle registration etc.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
I think the practice of having PRs on juries was restricted to a few districts within the state and was not a statewide policy. As Vorpal pointed out, he personally knows a PR who had to serve.This is not correct. I have been summoned for jury duty many times in NY, and had to bring along my PR card to get off the hook.
I thought you could collect SS benefits regardless of your status and where you live(other than the blacklisted countries)?
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
If you are a PR who contributed to SS and then you leave the US permanently in retirement age (losing your PR status), you can only collect SS if you are a citizen of a certain list of countries. In addition, if you are not a citizen, the list of countries is shorter for your spouse to get survivor benefits.
Hmmm... but I guess as it stands rite now, and has been for last 15 odd years, the wait time for family 4th pref is quite long.
Let's all hope it changes to current some day... some day soon.
None-the-less, this sure is a benefit a citizen has and a PR does not.
By the way there are certain crimes that, if committed, could result in loss of US citizenship. Although, not the DUI kind... it would have to be crimes such as act of treason
http://www.newcitizen.us/losing.html
The counties is question are probably the five that make up New York City. And in NYC, the burden of proof lies with the potential juror to show that he is not required to serve. Because many people over the years found it convenient to use the "immigrant card" to escape serving, the courts became more strict in terms of what is acceptable proof of immigrant status. Expired passport or green card for example is not acceptable. This is the reason why in NYC, you can easily find many immigrant being forced to serve (because of lack of providing acceptable proof of exemption). I know of an out of status F1 student having to seat in jury. And guess what, expired docs.....
It doesn't make sense for the courts to force people to engage in illegal activity.
And many people on Green Cards don't either. It all depends on what other nationalities you hold.
WhichWay2Go
Registered Users (C)
You are correct Truedesi, if you pay Taxes and pay into the SS system you can draw from it even if you only hold a GC.