Top 10 Tips for Green Card Holders

So you’ve finally obtained your green card. Please follow these tips in order to keep it.

1)      Update your address within 10 days of moving using Form AR-11 or file the online AR-11.

2)      Carry your green card with you at all times.

3)      Register with Selective Services (US Armed Forces) if you are a male between the ages of 18 and 26.

4)      File your US tax returns. A green card holder must generally file form 1040 or 1040EZ and report your worldwide income. If you have foreign financial accounts exceeding $10,000, you must also report them. Even if you work overseas, you will generally need to file US tax returns but you may not owe tax. When you later apply for US citizenship, you must certify that you have filed all required Federal, State, and local tax returns.

5)      Apply for US citizenship as soon as you are eligible. This reduces your chance of losing your US residency. Generally you must have your green card for 5 years before applying for US citizenship but there are exceptions where you can obtain citizenship sooner such as if you are married to a US citizen.

6)      DO NOT register to vote and do not vote. Only US citizens are eligible to vote. If you go to the DMV to get your driver’s license or renew it, they may ask if you would like to register to vote. Please answer NO until you become a US citizen.

7)      If you are a conditional resident (2 year green card), remember to apply to remove the conditions within the 90 days before the expiration date.

8)      File a green card petition for your spouse and children if necessary. The wait for their visa may be many years so file now. If you become a US citizen later, you may be able to upgrade your petition so the wait is shorter.

9)      If you plan to leave the US for over 6 months, contact an immigration attorney BEFORE you leave the country. An attorney can advise you on how to maintain your green card.

10)  Do not violate the law. As a green card holder, you may suffer the addition penalty of being deported and not allowed to return to the US.

attorney@mylawllc.com
My Law, LLC
Immigration & Tax Law Firm
www.mylawllc.com