Green Card
Green Card
A permanent resident card of the USA: the indefinite right to live and work in America. Obtained through EB-5, family reunification, the lottery, or an employer. After 5 years you can apply for US citizenship.
- What it is
- Permanent resident status in the US — an indefinite right to live and work
- Routes
- Investment (EB-5), family, employer, the visa lottery
- For an investor
- The direct route is EB-5, an investment from $800,000
- Does it lead to a passport
- Yes: US citizenship after about 5 years
- Can you prepare
- Yes: choose the route and evidence the source of funds
In plain words
A green card is the US permanent resident card. It gives an indefinite right to live and work in America, in any state and for any employer, while the holder remains a citizen of their own country. In status it sits one step below US citizenship, but with full freedom to live and work.
There are several routes to a green card: investment (the EB-5 programme), family reunification with a US citizen or resident, a sponsoring employer and the annual visa lottery. For a wealthy applicant with no relatives or employer in the US, the most direct route is EB-5: an investment in a US business that creates jobs.
A green card is also a road to a passport. After living as a permanent resident for a certain time (usually about 5 years) and meeting the presence requirements, you can apply for US citizenship through naturalisation. The status must be maintained, however: leaving the US for long periods without making arrangements risks losing the green card.
Why a green card is useful
Routes to a green card
- EB-5
- From $800,000
- 10+ jobs
- A citizen spouse
- Close relatives
- Reunification
- A sponsoring employer
- Professional categories
- Labour petition
- An annual draw
- Diversity Visa
- For certain countries
The investment route (EB-5)
- 01Choosing an EB-5 project
- 02Proof of source of funds
- 03Investment and petition
- 04Conditional green card
- 05Permanent green card
What you need to know
- A green card is a permanent status, but one step below citizenship
- For an investor the direct route is EB-5, from $800,000
- After ~5 years in status you can apply for US citizenship
- The status must be maintained: the US must be your main place of residence
- A long absence without arrangements risks losing the green card
Routes and timelines
- Investment (EB-5)
- From $800,000, usually 2-3 years to a permanent green card
- Family/work
- Depends on the category and queues
- To citizenship
- About 5 years in status, subject to meeting the conditions
- Keeping the status
- The US must be your main place of residence
- Alternative
- An E-2 visa through a Grenadian passport — faster and cheaper
Common mistakes
- Confusing a green card with US citizenship
- Leaving the US for long periods without permission and losing the status
- Choosing an EB-5 project on promised returns alone
- Not evidencing the lawful source of funds
- Not comparing EB-5 with the faster E-2 visa
What this means for a BRIDGES client
We are frank about the timelines and sums for a green card: EB-5 is a genuine permanent status, but the route is expensive and takes years. We work out whether it suits you specifically, or whether an investor E-2 visa through a Grenadian passport, which gets going faster and costs less, is enough for your goals.
Frequently asked questions
01 /Is a green card the same as US citizenship?
No. It is permanent resident status: an indefinite right to live and work in the US, but without a passport and without the right to vote. You can apply for citizenship after about 5 years of residence in status, subject to meeting the conditions.
02 /Can you lose a green card?
Yes. If you leave the US for long periods without obtaining permission for an extended absence, the status may be deemed abandoned. A green card assumes the US is your main place of residence.
03 /What is the route to a green card for an investor?
The most direct is the EB-5 programme: an investment of $800,000 or more in a US business creating 10+ jobs. Without relatives or an employer in the US, this is the main investment option.
04 /How does a green card differ from an E-2 visa?
A green card is a permanent status (through EB-5, expensive and taking years). E-2 is a renewable investor visa through a Grenadian passport: faster and cheaper, but not a permanent status.
05 /Does a green card give the right to work?
Yes, in full: in any state and for any employer, with no separate permit. It is one of the key differences from temporary visas.
06 /Does a green card lead to a US passport?
Yes. After about 5 years in status and meeting the presence requirements, you can apply for US citizenship through naturalisation.
See also
Read next
This material has undergone editorial review by BRIDGES.
Considering a US green card?
We will give you realistic timelines and sums for EB-5 and show where it is the best option and where the fast route through Grenada and the E-2 visa is more advantageous.