{"id":30913,"date":"2018-09-09T23:21:06","date_gmt":"2018-09-10T07:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.us-immigration.com\/blog\/?p=30913"},"modified":"2024-11-28T04:29:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T12:29:02","slug":"resident-alien-card","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.us-immigration.com\/blog\/resident-alien-card\/","title":{"rendered":"Resident Alien Card"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S. resident aliens are permanent resident green card holders. This a blanket term used to describe permanent residents, conditional residents and returning residents. In this article we\u2019ll discuss what it means to be a resident alien, we\u2019ll provide an overview of the green card renewal process<\/u><\/span><\/a> and the process of removing conditions from your residence.<\/p>\n

<\/a>What Is a Resident Alien Card?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A resident alien card is another term for a U.S. green card. Green cards issued before 1997 were sometimes referred to as \u201cAlien Registration Receipt Cards\u201d and they had the title \u201cResident Alien\u201d across the top of the card.<\/p>\n

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Who Is a Resident Alien?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A resident alien is a U.S. permanent resident (green card holder). Permanent residents can live and work in the U.S. permanently. They also can sponsor certain relatives for immigration to the United States.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Difference? Resident Alien Card vs. Green Card<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There is no difference between a resident alien card and a green card. They are different names for the same thing–a USCIS identification document for U.S. permanent residents. These cards (also known as Form I-551) have changed over time. Versions of the card issued before 1997 had the heading \u201cResident Alien\u201d while cards issued after 1997 have the heading \u201cPermanent Resident Card.\u201d The term alien is used to describe a person who has immigrated to the United States and is not a citizen.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Difference? Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders) vs. Conditional Residents<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Conditional residents are a type of permanent resident; however, their status is conditional and may be taken away if they do not meet the requirements to maintain it. There are two types of conditional permanent residence: marriage-based conditional residence and entrepreneur-based conditional residence.<\/p>\n

Marriage-Based Conditional Residents<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Marriage-based permanent residents receive a conditional status if the marriage was less than 2 years old on the day they received permanent residence. The status is conditional because they must prove that the marriage is legitimate (that they did not get married simply to receive a green card).<\/p>\n

Within 90 days of the card\u2019s expiration, conditional residents should apply to have the conditions removed from their residence to receive a 10-year, non-conditional green card. The application for this process is USCIS Form I-751<\/u><\/span><\/a>. In general, you can apply to remove the conditions on your green card if you meet one of the following:<\/p>\n