ANG green card na tinatawag din na permanent resident card ang patunay na ang isang indibidwal ay may lawful permanent resident status sa US. Ito rin ay patunay na ang indibidwal ay maaaring tumira ng permanente at magtrabaho ng permanente sa US. Kung ang permanent resident (“PR”) ay 18 taon gulang o mahigit pa, kailangang ang kanyang green card ay parating nasa kanyang pagmamay-ari sa lahat ng oras. Ang green card ay maaari ring magpakita ng employment eligibility sa US kapag ang PR ay sumasagot sa Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification , maaari din itong gamitin sa pag-apply ng social security card at state-issued driver’s license, at maaari din itong ipakita sa mga opisyal ng Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) kapag ang PR ay bumabalik sa US matapos ang kanyang biyahe sa labas ng US, kung ang kanyang biyahe at hindi lumampas ng isang taon. Kung ang biyahe ng PR ay lumampas ng isang taon, kailangan niya ng re-entry permit.
Ang green card ay maaaring i-renew o i-replace sa mga sumusunod na mga sitwasyon: (1) ang green card ay may bisa na 10 taon at ito ay nag-expire na o malapit nang mag-expire; (2) ang green card ay ninakaw, nawala or na-damage; (3) ang PR ay binigyan ng green card bago siya mag-14 taon gulang at ito ay mawawalan na ng bisa bago ang ika-16 taon ng kaarawan niya; (4) ang green card ay may maling pangalan, araw ng kapanganakan o issue date dahil sa administrative error ng USCIS; (5) ang pangalan ng PR o ang iba niyang biographic information ay nabago sa pamamagitan ng legal ng proseso; at (6) ang green card ay walang expiration date.
Sa mga nakasaad na sitwasyon sa taas, ang PR ay maaaring mag-file ng I-90 Application to Replace Green Card na may filing fee na $455 at biometrics fee na $85 o kabuuang $540 sa ilang sitwasyon. Kung ang green card ay na-issue ng USCIS ngunit hindi natanggap ng PR o ang green card ay may maling impormasyon dahil sa USCIS administrative error, walang kailangang bayarang filing fee at biometrics fee. Kung ang PR ay conditional permanent resident, hindi Form I-90 ang kanyang kailangang i-file sa USCIS para mag-renew ng green card. Ang conditional permanent resident ay kailangang mag-file sa USCIS ng Form I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence na may filing fee na $595 at biometrics fee na $85, o kabuuang $680.
Kung ang PR ay kailangang mag-biyahe habang nakasalang sa USCIS ang kanyang Form I-90 Application for Replacement of Green Card, kailangan muna niyang mag-antay ng I-797 Receipt Notice. Kapag natanggap na niya ito, maaari na ang PR na mag-schedule ng InfoPass Appointment sa USCIS Field Office na pinakamalapit sa kanyang tirahan. Sa InfoPass, maaaring magpatatak ang PR sa kanyang passport ng Alien Documentation, Identification & Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp o I-551 stamp. Ang ADIT stamp ay maaari din na makuha kung ang pisikal na green card ay nawala, na-damage o hindi natanggap ng PR at kailangan na niyang bumiyahe.
A green card which is also called the permanent resident card is proof that an individual has lawful permanent resident status in the US. It is also proof that the individual is authorized to live permanently and work permanently in the US. If the permanent resident (“PR”) is 18 years or older, he is required to have a valid green card in his possession at all times. The green card can be used to prove employment eligibility in the US when completing Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, to apply for social security card and state-issued driver’s license, or for readmission to the US after a trip abroad if the trip did not last longer than 1 year. If the trip lasted more than 1 year, a re-entry permit is needed.
The green card may be renewed or replaced in the following situations: (1) the green card valid was for 10 years and has expired or will expire within 6 months; (2) the green card has been lost, stolen or damaged; (3) the PR was issued a green card valid for 10 years before the PR turned 14 years old, and it will not expire before the PR’s 16th birthday; (4) the green card was issued with incorrect name, date of birth or issue date due to USCIS administrative error; (5) the PR’s name or other biographic information has been legally changed; and (6) the green card does not have any expiration date.
Under the above situations, the PR can file an I-90 Application to Replace Green Card with filing fee of $455, plus biometrics fee of $85, or a total of $540 in certain situations. If the previous green card was issued but never received or if the existing green card has incorrect data because of USCIS error, no filing fees or biometrics fee has to be paid. If the individual is a conditional permanent resident, Form I-90 cannot be used. Instead, the conditional permanent resident should file Form I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence with filing fee of $595, plus biometrics fee of $85, or a total of $680.
If the PR needs to travel pending the I-90 Application for Replacement of Green Card, he must wait for the I-797 Receipt Notice and then schedule an InfoPass Appointment at the USCIS Field Office nearest his residence to get an Alien Documentation, Identification & Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp or I-551 stamp on his passport. The ADIT stamp can also be obtained in case the physical green card is lost, destroyed, or was never received and the PR needs to travel.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
Please visit our office: LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM
3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Call or text us: (213) 381.5710
Email us: [email protected].
