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Green Card

A US green card (officially Form I-551) grants permanent resident status, allowing the holder to live and work anywhere in the United States indefinitely. Green card holders can sponsor family members, travel freely, and apply for US citizenship after 3-5 years. There are several pathways: family-based (immediate relatives, preference categories), employment-based (EB-1 through EB-5), diversity lottery (55,000 visas/year), and special programs. Processing times range from 6 months to 20+ years depending on category and country of birth.

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