The Green Card (more formally called the Permanent Resident Card) allows a person to live and work in the US indefinitely. Having a green card puts one on the path to US citizenship if one wants to become a citizen.
The green card process through a family member starts with a US citizen or Permanent Resident filing a Relative Petition with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The relative petition tells the USCIS that the person filing the petition (petitioner) is a US citizen (or permanent resident) and asks the USCIS to recognize the person being filed for (beneficiary) as a qualified relative and to grant immigration benefits to the beneficiary.
When the relative petition is approved, then the foreign-born relative will apply for an immigrant visa at the US consulate in their country (or country of regular residence). This is called Consular Processing. If the relative is already in the US, they may be able to apply for their green card inside the United States – Adjustment of Status. If you are a US citizen, you can file a petition for your parents, spouse, children, siblings. If you are a green card holder, you can apply for your children and spouse (who can come with their children under the age of 21).
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