Resident Alien

In the United States, a resident alien is a foreign-born individual who has been granted permanent residency status and is authorized to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis.

Resident aliens are also referred to as lawful permanent residents (LPRs) or green card holders. They are allowed to stay in the United States indefinitely, as long as they comply with the conditions of their status, which include filing income tax returns and maintaining their residency status by not committing certain criminal offenses.

Resident aliens have many of the same rights and responsibilities as U.S. citizens, including the ability to work, own property, attend schools and universities, and access certain public benefits such as Social Security and Medicare. However, resident aliens cannot vote in U.S. elections or hold certain government jobs that require U.S. citizenship.

Becoming a resident alien in the United States typically requires going through a lengthy and complex immigration process, which can involve sponsorship by a family member or employer, or other avenues such as asylum or refugee status. Once a person becomes a resident alien, they can apply for naturalization and become a U.S. citizen after meeting certain requirements, such as living in the United States for a certain number of years and passing a citizenship test.