What are the main differences between a green card and visa?

Green cards and visas are two different methods of establishing legal residency in the United States categorized under U.S. immigration law. The main difference between a green card and a visa is that a green card gives an individual the right to permanently and legally reside in the United States, while a visa is an authorization to travel to the United States, usually for a short period of time. Green cards are issued to immigrants for a variety of reasons including family-based immigration, employment-based immigration, or refugee and asylum status. An individual with a green card is eligible to live, work, and study in the United States, and can travel in and out of the country with appropriate authorization. Visas are issued to individuals who wish to travel to the United States for a number of reasons including a business trip, a vacation, medical treatment, to join family members, or to attend school and have to meet certain eligibility criteria. Visas authorize the holder to stay in the United States for a period of time that is specified in the visa. After this period has expired, the individual must either return home or apply for an extension. In summary, the key difference between a green card and a visa is that a green card gives a person the legal right to permanently reside in the United States, while a visa is a temporary authorization to temporarily stay in the United States. Both green cards and visas are regulated by U.S. immigration laws, and individuals looking to stay in Texas must ensure that they meet all the requirements for either option.

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La diferencia fundamental entre una tarjeta verde y una visa es el estatus de residencia. Una tarjeta verde da al titular el estatus de residente legal permanente de los Estados Unidos. Esto significa que el titular puede trabajar y residir legalmente en los Estados Unidos, aunque seguirá siendo un ciudadano de su país de origen. Una visa, por otro lado, es un documento temporal que concede a una persona el permiso para ingresar temporalmente a los Estados Unidos. Una persona con una visa debe regresar al país de origen cuando expire la visa. Otra diferencia es el proceso de obtención. Una visa se solicita directamente de un consulado o embajada estadounidense en el extranjero. Una tarjeta verde, por otro lado, se puede obtener de varias maneras, como a través de la familia, el empleo, la inversión, la lotería o el asilo. Finalmente, la duración de las visas y tarjetas verdes también es diferente. Una visa usualmente tiene una duración máxima de seis meses, aunque algunas visas se otorgan por tres o diez años. Una tarjeta verde es válida por diez años y puede ser renovada indefinidamente mediante una solicitud de renovación. Las visas solo se pueden renovar en ausencia de circunstancias especiales.

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What are the main differences between a green card and visa?

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