什麼是green card ?

Green card (Permanent Resident Card)其實系一種比外國公民既永久居住許可証。持有綠卡意味着持卡人擁有在簽发國的永久居留權，同時，持有綠卡可以在一定時問内免去入境簽証。

-起源於美國
-最早美國的永久居留許可証是一張綠色的卡片 (名字起源)
-也叫I-551
-記錄了持卡人的照片、指纹、姓名等資料

2007-07-05 15:46:26 補充：
-隨著設計的變化已經更新了19個版本-現在它已經是一張白色有黃綠色花紋的塑料卡片, 但是綠卡這個名稱一直被保留了下來.-其他國家沿用美國的說法, 也會將本國的永久居留許可證俗稱為綠卡.各國的綠卡: -美國, 中華人民共和國 (中國綠卡), 德國, 中華民國 (外僑居留證)

Annual Green Card Lottery of the United States
USAGCLS organization invites you to participate in the USA Green Card Lottery program where you may win Diversity Visa (Green Card) and legally live and work in the United States. If you are not an American resident or citizen, you may submit your lottery application to join the program and take advantage of the opportunity that has been offered to you by a program of the American government, through a law that has been passed by Congress - the "Diversity Visa" program.


Winning Notice
How does it work?
Applications for the green card lottery are accepted only online. In the past, paper applications with signatures were accepted. In 2003, this process was changed by the U.S. Government and green card applicants may only apply for the lottery online.

Please see the description of the USAGCLS process:
Check if you qualify
Pay an administrative fee
Receive registration number and password to your account
Log into to your account any time to complete/change your information
Provide photos of yourself and any co-applicant
Have Diversity Visa application submitted
Winners are notified by mail
Winners will receive a FREE airline ticket from USAGCLS *



Winning Notification Approved Green Card Actual Green Card


Permanent Resident is the status received after you complete all of your processing of your applications and obtain your residence visa - Green Card.

You are permitted to remain in the United States indefinitely with
a green card.
You are permitted to work in any job that you can obtain, and you may start
a business
You must pay taxes on you “world-wide” income on an annual basis
You are permitted to leave the United States and return in the same status
with a green card
You must continue to “reside” in the United States. This means you must
live most of the time in the United States most of the time and have
significant ties to the United States. With special permission
you may leave for up to two years. (Reentry Permission)
You can file for citizenship after five years if you have completed requisite
residence periods in the United States. Citizenship allows you to vote
and obtain a U.S. Passport, while your status as permanent residence with
a green card does not.



History of the Green Card Lottery Program
The diversity visa lottery to win green cards was a program by which a category of immigrants from underrepresented countries and those adversely effected by the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965 (P.L. 89-236) were to receive a special immigration benefit. In 1986 the United States Congress attempted to assist recently disadvantaged immigrants with an emphasis on persons from the Irish Isles obtain some special way to immigrate and receive a green card to the United States. The sponsors of the Legislation, (among them prominent Irish-American members of Congress) devised a lottery program that would grant green cards to persons from otherwise underrepresented countries. Since that initial program, changes have been made. The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is also known as the Diversity Lottery program or the Green Card Lottery. It is administered on an annual basis by the U.S. Department of State and conducted under the terms of Section 203© of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-649) amended INA 203 to provide for a new class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants” (DV immigrants).