Understanding Your Permanent Resident Status Timeline

If you are a non-US citizen, your period of residency in the United States must have an official start and end date. Your time as a lawful permanent resident begins on the date you were granted permanent resident status and your immigrant visa was approved. This date is on your Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card. If you interviewed at a US embassy or consulate, it is the date that you entered the US with your immigrant visa. If you adjusted your status inside the US, it is the date that USCIS approved your permanent resident status.

Permanent resident status begins when your immigrant visa is approved

If you interviewed at a U.S. embassy or consulate, your permanent resident status begins on the date that they approved your immigrant visa. If you adjusted your status inside the United States, it is the date that USCIS approved your permanent resident status.

Your time as a permanent resident is important to track as it is a requirement for naturalization. If you are applying for naturalization to become a U.S. citizen based on five years as a permanent resident or based on three years as a permanent resident while married to a U.S. citizen, you will need to prove that five years have passed since your green card was issued.

The date is on your Permanent Resident Card (green card)

If you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States, the date on which your permanent residency began is an important piece of information to have on hand. This date signifies the start of your legal status as a permanent resident and can be found on your Permanent Resident Card, more commonly known as a "green card."

The Permanent Resident Card is a crucial document that serves as proof of your lawful permanent resident status in the US. It is a small, wallet-sized card issued by the US government through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The card includes key personal information, such as your full name, date of birth, gender, and a photograph of yourself. Most importantly, it also displays the date on which your permanent residency began.

On your Permanent Resident Card, the date your lawful permanent resident status began is clearly indicated. The card features two dates that are of significance: the "Card Valid From" date and the "Resident Since" date. The "Card Valid From" date refers to the start date of your current green card's validity period, whereas the "Resident Since" date indicates when your permanent residency initially began. This "Resident Since" date is the one that specifically answers the question, "When did I become a lawful permanent resident?"

To locate this date on your Permanent Resident Card, examine the front of the card. Below your photograph, you will find the "Resident Since" date printed. This date represents the day your lawful permanent resident status became effective. It is important to note that the "Resident Since" date may not always align with the date you physically entered the country or the date of your immigration interview. Instead, it signifies the date from which your legal permanent residency rights commenced.

Keeping your Permanent Resident Card up to date is essential. If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, or if the information on the card needs to be updated, you must apply for a replacement. You can do this by filing Form I-90, Replacement Permanent Resident Card, with USCIS. Maintaining a valid and current green card is crucial as it serves as official confirmation of your lawful permanent resident status, granting you certain rights and privileges in the United States.

You need to track your time as a permanent resident to change or renew your status

Your time as a permanent resident begins on the date you were granted permanent resident status and your immigrant visa was approved. This date is on your Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card. If you interviewed at a U.S. embassy or consulate, it is the date that you entered the United States with your approved immigrant visa. If you adjusted your status inside the United States, it is the date that USCIS approved your permanent resident status.

On your green card, your time as a permanent resident is listed as "Resident Since: XX/YY/20ZZ". The date you were granted permanent residence will also be the date on your I-797 Notice of Action approval notice or consular letter that granted your permanent resident status.

If you are a conditional resident through a recent marriage to a U.S. citizen or through an investor visa, your two years as a conditional resident count as permanent residence.

Leaving the United States without pre-approval may be considered abandoning your green card application, and travel abroad without pre-approval may lengthen the time before you can apply for naturalization.

You must meet eligibility requirements before applying for naturalisation

Naturalization is the process by which a non-citizen can become a citizen of the United States by meeting specific legal requirements. To be eligible for naturalization, you must meet certain requirements.

Eligibility Requirements for Naturalization

• You must be at least 18 years old when you submit Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
• You must have been a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) for at least three to five years.
• You must have physically lived in the United States for at least 30 months (2.5 years) out of the five years immediately before the date you file Form N-400.
• You must have lived in a state or USCIS district having jurisdiction over your place of residence for at least three months.
• You must be a person of good moral character and have been so for at least five years immediately before the date you file Form N-400.
• You must be able to read, write, and speak basic English (depending on age).
• You must be willing to defend the U.S. Constitution and take the Oath of Allegiance.
• You must be willing to serve in the U.S. military or perform civilian service for the United States if called upon to do so.
• You must register with the Selective Service System if you are male and have lived in the United States between the ages of 18 and 25.
• You must be able to pass the naturalization test, which has two parts: a civics test (U.S. history and government) and an English test.

Additional Requirements for Naturalization Based on Military Service

If you are applying for naturalization based on qualifying military service, there are some additional requirements and exceptions:

• You must not have deserted (left before discharge) from the U.S. military.
• You must not have received a discharge or an exemption from the U.S. military based on your non-U.S. citizen status.
• If you have served in the U.S. military for at least one year during peacetime, you can apply while in active duty or within six months of separating honorably from the military.
• If you have served in the U.S. military for less than one year during peacetime, you must have physically lived in the United States for at least 30 months (2.5 years) out of the five years since obtaining your Green Card.
• If you have served in the U.S. military for at least one year during peacetime and are filing more than six months after separating honorably from the military, you must have physically lived in the United States for at least 30 months (2.5 years) out of the five years since obtaining your Green Card.
• If you have served in the U.S. military for any period during wartime, you can apply at any time and need not be a Green Card holder. You or your military spouse must only have been physically present in the United States (including U.S. territories) or aboard a U.S. vessel when you enlisted, reenlisted, extended your service, or were inducted into the military.
• Individuals who apply for naturalization based on at least one year of peacetime military service are exempt from the English test requirement.
• Individuals who apply for naturalization based on any period of wartime military service are exempt from the English test and civics test requirements.

Other Considerations

• If you are a green card holder married to a U.S. citizen, you can apply for naturalization after just three years of permanent residency instead of the usual five.
• If you are a member of the U.S. armed forces, you may also qualify for expedited naturalization, sometimes waiving the residency requirements entirely.
• If you are applying for naturalization based on qualifying military service, you do not need to pay the application filing fee.
• If you cannot afford the filing fee for income-based reasons, you may apply for a fee reduction or waiver.
• If you are 65 years or older, you are required to study only 20 of the 100 usual questions for the civics test, and you will need to answer only six out of 10 questions correctly to pass.
• If you have a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment, you may be exempt from the English and civics test requirement by filing Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions.

Permanent resident status ends when your immigrant status is revoked

Permanent resident status is generally constant and is granted to people who intend to live in the United States for the foreseeable future. However, there are several ways that permanent resident status can be revoked.

Firstly, permanent resident status ends when an individual is naturalised as a U.S. citizen. Secondly, permanent resident status can be lost or abandoned. This can occur in several ways, including:

• Moving to another country and intending to live there permanently.
• Remaining outside of the U.S. for an extended period of time (more than 183 days or 12 months), unless it is a temporary absence.
• Failing to file income tax returns while living outside the U.S.
• Declaring yourself a "nonimmigrant" on your U.S. tax returns.

Additionally, permanent resident status can be revoked if an individual engages in fraud, criminal activity, or fails to remove conditions on their residence. Fraud includes lying, omitting relevant information, or committing any fraud during the application process, such as marriage fraud. Criminal activity includes crimes involving moral turpitude, aggravated felonies, and certain drug-related crimes. Conditional residents who fail to remove the conditions on their residence may also lose their permanent resident status.

Frequently asked questions