6

What shall one do after receiving a green card?

Franck Dernoncourt
  • 2,573
  • 1
  • 22
  • 57

1 Answers1

6

Here is what I am aware of.

Actions to take ASAP:

  • Replace/update your SSN card. This can be done at your local social security center. See https://www.ssa.gov/
  • If employed: ask the employer to update the I-9
  • If you have some accounts at banks, insurance, mortgage: inform them about your residency status, as in some places you may be eligible for lower rate after getting the green card.
  • If you are a male between ages 18 and 25 (inclusive, i.e. who have reached their 18th birthday and who have not passed their 26th birthday): register with the Selective Service (U.S. Armed Forces)

Things to do until you get US citizenship:

  • Fill an form AR-11 (Alien's Change of Address Card: https://www.uscis.gov/ar-11) each time you move (AR-11 should be filled within ten days of moving)
  • Carry proof of your permanent resident status at all times. (From https://citizenpath.com/carry-my-green-card-with-me/: "You are legally required to carry your green card with you if you are age 18 or older. Section 264(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that all permanent residents must have “at all times” official evidence of permanent resident status. A photocopy is not acceptable. If found guilty of this misdemeanor, the penalty set by law is a fine of up to $100 and up to 30 days in jail.")
  • Keep track of some information to be prepared to apply for naturalization in five years. Note that one can obtain the entries/exits to the US via a FOIA request.
  • If you plan to remain outside of the U. S. for six months or longer, you are strongly suggested to obtain a 'Re-entry Permit" before leaving the U.S.

Also beware that your tax reporting will changes slightly.

Franck Dernoncourt
  • 2,573
  • 1
  • 22
  • 57
  • 5
    I guess I'd point out that replacing a lost green card is far more costly and time-consuming than just about anything else that might have been in the same lost wallet (and you may have trouble replacing a driver's license without the green card), which may partly explain why that is likely the most ignored immigration law that exists. I now carry mine when I'm not close to home, though, since stops of brown people by immigration seem to be increasing lately. I think replacing your SS card is only necessary if you find the "DHS authorization" legend annoying. – Dennis Oct 23 '17 at 03:45
  • @Dennis What is the point of removing the "Valid to Work Only with DHS Authorization" legend from the social security card after getting the green card? – Franck Dernoncourt Oct 23 '17 at 20:33
  • @Dennis I read on https://citizenpath.com/carry-my-green-card-with-me/ "You are legally required to carry your green card with you if you are age 18 or older. Section 264(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that all permanent residents must have “at all times” official evidence of permanent resident status. A photocopy is not acceptable. If found guilty of this misdemeanor, the penalty set by law is a fine of up to $100 and up to 30 days in jail." -> Is this regulation not applied in practice? – Franck Dernoncourt Oct 23 '17 at 20:35
  • 1
    @FrankDernoncourt, If you read INA 264 you'll see it applies to all "aliens", i.e. not just LPRs but also non-immigrants. For the latter the alien registration receipt one is supposed to carry "at all times" is typically an I-94, but many are no longer given a paper I-94 to carry (or passport stamps, even) so they are in violation of that law as soon as they leave immigration. – Dennis Oct 24 '17 at 03:24
  • 1
    My understanding (repeated in the linked article above) is that they now usually interpret "at all times" to mean you can go home and get it if they really want to see it, yet the law still exists and could be.enforced as written if they felt like it. When I balance that risk (hasn't happened yet) against the risk of losing my wallet (has happened) I usually lean towards leaving the card safe at home if I'm not traveling. – Dennis Oct 24 '17 at 03:45
  • @Dennis the law actually requires one to carry "any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him pursuant to subsection (d)"; if it's not issued, it is not required to be carried. But federal regulation notes that "a valid, unexpired nonimmigrant DHS admission or parole stamp in a foreign passport constitutes evidence of registration," so it's arguably required to carry that. Also, the requirement applies only to aliens who have been fingerprinted, which isn't all aliens. – phoog Oct 24 '17 at 03:46
  • @phoog, But subsection (d) requires the government to issue "a certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card", so your interpretation would only be correct if the government were breaking its own law. In fact they do issue them, the I-94 web site has a copy with your registration number, so the only thing they didn't do is print it for you. Canadian visitors may not be fingerprinted, but that exemption is from a different part of the law. GE members don't get stamps but do get I-94s (not printed). I think only "at all times" is reinterpreted. – Dennis Oct 24 '17 at 04:17
  • @Dennis subsection (d) requires issue "in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations issued by the Attorney General"; many categories of aliens have fingerprinting waived under 8 CFR 264.1, including "Fingerprinting is waived for every nonimmigrant alien not included in paragraph (e)(1) of this section who departs from the United States within one year of his admission." So arguably no such nonimmigrant is in violation of 8 USC 1304(e). Regardless of why Canadians aren't fingerprinted, any Canadian not fingerprinted can't violate 1304(e). – phoog Oct 24 '17 at 04:33
  • 1
    @Dennis in short, the whole thing is a mess, and basically nobody is ever convicted under 1304(e) except in connection with other violations. See also US Office of Biometric Identity Management: statutory and regulatory authority? – phoog Oct 24 '17 at 04:35