Permanent Resident (Green Card) General Information

All legal permanent residents have certain legal rights and obligations.

Legal Rights

1. The right to live permanently in the U.S.
2. The right to work in the U.S. with the exception of some jobs that require licenses you must obtain and some jobs for citizens only due to security reasons of by statute. You cannot become President.
3. The right to travel to and from the U.S. But, be aware that prolonged stays outside the U.S. can result in the loss of your permanent resident status.
4. The right to apply for citizenship after a prescribed period of time.
5. The right to be protected by all the laws of the U.S.

Legal Obligations

1. The obligation to obey all U.S. laws including those specifically pertaining to immigrants.
2. The obligation to declare all income and file & pay all income taxes to the Internal Revenue Service on a timely basis.
3. The obligation to support our democratic form of government.
4. The obligation not to vote in any election until becoming a citizen.
5. The obligation to register for the Selective Service (military service) if you are a male between ages 18 through 25.