What is the difference between an immigrant visa and a green card?

An immigrant visa and a green card are both ways for immigrants to come to the United States, but they are not the same. An immigrant visa is a visa issued to a foreign national wishing to enter the United States for the purpose of permanent residence. It can also be referred to as a visa to “immigrate” or an “entry visa”. An immigrant visa may be issued to someone individuals who have been sponsored by either a family member, a U.S. employer, or a special visa program. On the other hand, a green card, formally known as a permanent resident card, is a document issued by the United States that allows an immigrant to live and work in the country permanently. To obtain a green card, an individual must either have secured an immigrant visa or have been approved for legal permanent residence through a United States government program. The primary difference between an immigrant visa and a green card is that an immigrant visa is the first step in the process of becoming a permanent resident, while a green card is the final step in the process and allows an immigrant to live and work in the United States as a permanent resident.

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La diferencia entre una visa de inmigrante y una tarjeta verde es el tiempo que una persona permanece como residente permanente legal en los Estados Unidos. Una visa de inmigrante otorga a una persona el privilegio de entrar a los Estados Unidos para vivir y trabajar allí de manera permanente. Una vez que el inmigrante entra en el país con una visa de inmigrante, recibe una tarjeta verde como evidencia de su estatus de residente permanente. La tarjeta verde no otorga permiso para entrar al país; por el contrario, es una prueba de que una persona es un residente permanente legal de los EE. UU., lo que le permite trabajar dentro de los límites de la ley de inmigración de Washington. Los residentes permanentes legales con tarjetas verdes también son elegibles para obtener seguro social y beneficios de desempleo, lo que no es posible para los residentes temporales con visas de inmigrante. Sin embargo, la duración de la tarjeta verde no es permanente, ya que debe ser renovada cada cinco años.

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