Permanent Resident Card - The Green Card
The official United States Permanent Resident Card, is also called a Green Card. The Green Card is currently issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Green Card is an identification card certifying the permanent resident status of an alien in the United States of America. The Green Card grants the immigrant certain benefits including permission to live and work in the United States. An immigrant is considered a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) upon receipt of the Green Card. A Lawful Permanent Resident is eligible to apply for United States citizenship, after living in the United States for five years. This period can be lessened to three years if married to a U.S. citizen.