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Green Card Holder – Benefits of Being a Green Card Holder

engmtolera

Registered Users (C)
1. Hassle Free Entry/Exit from the U.S

One of the most important benefits of being a green card holder is that you can leave or enter the U.S. at your own accord without the risk of denial of entry at a U.S. immigration port of entry. Thus the hassle of filing the I-94 form, as done by non-green card holder is done away with completely.

2. Financial Aid for Education

As per the law, a U.S. permanent resident can take advantage of government sponsored financial aid in order to pursue his/her education. Additionally, those students who have green cards are required to pay lower tuition rates at universities and colleges than foreign students who are not green card holders.

3. Better Job Prospects

Green card holders undoubtedly enjoy an edge above the rest when it comes to the employment scene in the U.S. Unlike foreigners, they do not require job sponsorships. Even better, they are granted permission to work in any company located in the U.S. Getting security clearance for a job opening is also not an issue for green card holders.

4. Widened Career Horizons

It’s not just the job market where green card holders have an advantage over non-immigrant foreigners in the U.S. They also enjoy exclusive rights to start their personal businesses in the United States, or even create their own corporations for that matter!

5. Social Security Benefits

A green card holder enjoys social security benefits too. If he/she has worked for a minimum of 40 quarters in the U.S., they are entitled to benefits post retirement. In fact even if a green card holder loses his/her job or passes away, their family is entitled to the green card holders benefits.

6. Political Existence

By possessing a green card, an individual attains the right to be a part of and contribute to political campaigns for state and federal offices, and thereby be a part of the political process, even though they do not have a right to vote. Voting is a privilege that is reserved for U.S. citizens.

7. Mobility across the Nation

If you possess a green card, you are entitled to enjoy the ability to move wherever you want to within the United States, and can even choose to stay in any of the 50 states of the U.S permanently. This is a far cry for residents without green cards who have to obtain permission from the USCIS for every action and move they take while within the United States.

8. Insurance Benefits

Green card holders are eligible to a wide range of insurance coverage at prices afforded to U.S. citizens. In fact most insurance companies refuse to extend their services to non green card holders.

source http://www.immihelp.com/greencard/benefits-of-permanent-resident-card.html
 
There are many benefits to being a Green Card holder, but the points you raise are not accurately expressed. Your quoted source was already inaccurate and imprecise, but then you have embellished and added to the inaccuracies. My personal favourite is point 7 where you seem to believe that a person on a temporary visa has to report in to USCIS each time they want to go to the supermarket or take a road trip for a vacation. However, I will agree that being an LPR is a great opportunity, no doubt about that.



1. Hassle Free Entry/Exit from the U.S

One of the most important benefits of being a green card holder is that you can leave or enter the U.S. at your own accord without the risk of denial of entry at a U.S. immigration port of entry. Thus the hassle of filing the I-94 form, as done by non-green card holder is done away with completely.

2. Financial Aid for Education

As per the law, a U.S. permanent resident can take advantage of government sponsored financial aid in order to pursue his/her education. Additionally, those students who have green cards are required to pay lower tuition rates at universities and colleges than foreign students who are not green card holders.

3. Better Job Prospects

Green card holders undoubtedly enjoy an edge above the rest when it comes to the employment scene in the U.S. Unlike foreigners, they do not require job sponsorships. Even better, they are granted permission to work in any company located in the U.S. Getting security clearance for a job opening is also not an issue for green card holders.

4. Widened Career Horizons

It’s not just the job market where green card holders have an advantage over non-immigrant foreigners in the U.S. They also enjoy exclusive rights to start their personal businesses in the United States, or even create their own corporations for that matter!

5. Social Security Benefits

A green card holder enjoys social security benefits too. If he/she has worked for a minimum of 40 quarters in the U.S., they are entitled to benefits post retirement. In fact even if a green card holder loses his/her job or passes away, their family is entitled to the green card holders benefits.

6. Political Existence

By possessing a green card, an individual attains the right to be a part of and contribute to political campaigns for state and federal offices, and thereby be a part of the political process, even though they do not have a right to vote. Voting is a privilege that is reserved for U.S. citizens.

7. Mobility across the Nation

If you possess a green card, you are entitled to enjoy the ability to move wherever you want to within the United States, and can even choose to stay in any of the 50 states of the U.S permanently. This is a far cry for residents without green cards who have to obtain permission from the USCIS for every action and move they take while within the United States.

8. Insurance Benefits

Green card holders are eligible to a wide range of insurance coverage at prices afforded to U.S. citizens. In fact most insurance companies refuse to extend their services to non green card holders.

source http://www.immihelp.com/greencard/benefits-of-permanent-resident-card.html
 
Yeah this is embellished on. On my phone so didn't read in detail, but the security clearance one is not entirely accurate - I've seen a number of jobs advertised where the security requirements are that you have to be a citizen.

Also to state the obvious, 40 quarters is 10 years. Most people have become citizens long before then.
 
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I commend the fact that the OP is trying to shine a positive light on what it means to be GC holder. Also highly commendable is the fact that he's acknowledging the source of his post, something most people never bother to do anymore (albeit he added a bit more spin in his own words).

But then some of those points could be misleading on the surface level. In addition to what britsimon noted with point 7, the law requires a GC holder to inform USCIS every time they relocate to a new address (and I believe this is supposed to be within 10 days of the move or so).

Point number one, having a GC does not guarantee a stress free entry into the US. Numerous GC holders are still subjected to secondary searches for whatever reason every time they travel.

The original post talked about the possibility of being a LPR for life even if the GC is not renewed as it when due if one opts to not become a US citizen. This is highly inaccurate and misleading, but I don't have the time to go into the details now.
 
I commend the fact that the OP is trying to shine a positive light on what it means to be GC holder. Also highly commendable is the fact that he's acknowledging the source of his post, something most people never bother to do anymore (albeit he added a bit more spin in his own words).

But then some of those points could be misleading on the surface level. In addition to what britsimon noted with point 7, the law requires a GC holder to inform USCIS every time they relocate to a new address (and I believe this is supposed to be within 10 days of the move or so).

Point number one, having a GC does not guarantee a stress free entry into the US. Numerous GC holders are still subjected to secondary searches for whatever reason every time they travel.

The original post talked about the possibility of being a LPR for life even if the GC is not renewed as it when due if one opts to not become a US citizen. This is highly inaccurate and misleading, but I don't have the time to go into the details now.


Agreed on that and the other points in your post. Not trying to knock the OP in any way, but the inaccuracies did need addressing...
 
The original post talked about the possibility of being a LPR for life even if the GC is not renewed as it when due if one opts to not become a US citizen. This is highly inaccurate and misleading, but I don't have the time to go into the details now.

I recall reading a post a while ago - can't remember if this or another forum - where someone got stripped of his green card after 18 years trying to get back in, even though he had a proper home etc in the US. So I don't know all the details, but it does seem they get suspicious if you go beyond a certain time without taking on citizenship.

I hear what you say about the benefits, but I am sure most people here know the benefits outweigh the disadvantages or we wouldn't all be here in the first place! I did though think some of those points were at best misleading and at worst just wrong and that does need to be pointed out.
 
Non citizens cannot get gov't security clearance, this is why many gov't jobs are only open to citizens. There are exceptions in very specific cases, but even then it's not called a 'security clearance', more like 'limited access authorization'.
 
Non citizens cannot get gov't security clearance, this is why many gov't jobs are only open to citizens. There are exceptions in very specific cases, but even then it's not called a 'security clearance', more like 'limited access authorization'.

but some is open for all,try to check it
 
but some is open for all,try to check it

That's why I said 'many', not 'all'. The vast majority of federal government jobs are only available to U.S. citizens and nationals, while state and local governments typically don't have that restriction. In any case non-citizens can't get security clearance; only in rare cases they can get LAA if they're geniuses that the gov't needs.
 
Yeah this is embellished on. On my phone so didn't read in detail, but the security clearance one is not entirely accurate - I've seen a number of jobs advertised where the security requirements are that you have to be a citizen.

Also to state the obvious, 40 quarters is 10 years. Most people have become citizens long before then.

There are certain jobs for which even being a citizen is not good enough and you have to be a natural born. And I don't mean the office of the president of the United States :) I mean more like defense (e.g. Lockheed Martin) and intelligence jobs.
 
Forget about government jobs. Found out a couple of months ago there are certain positions companies like Boeing will not consider you for unless you are a US citizen - and I'm not even talking about some high level position, this was discovered when my kid was exploring the possibility of doing an intership with them. The different level of security clearance is clearly stated on their website:

https://jobs.boeing.com/help/glossary.html#security_clearance
 
Forget about government jobs. Found out a couple of months ago there are certain positions companies like Boeing will not consider you for unless you are a US citizen - and I'm not even talking about some high level position, this was discovered when my kid was exploring the possibility of doing an intership with them. The different level of security clearance is clearly stated on their website:

https://jobs.boeing.com/help/glossary.html#security_clearance
Certain large corporations have military contracts, so private employees who deal with classified/secret military projects are required to have security clearance. Boeing does make some planes for the military.
 
The original post talked about the possibility of being a LPR for life even if the GC is not renewed as it when due if one opts to not become a US citizen. This is highly inaccurate and misleading, but I don't have the time to go into the details now.

It is technically true that non-conditional permanent residence status is permanent; the status is not affected by not renewing the GC. That doesn't mean it's recommended, because you need the GC to do many things, but it's true.
 
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