A green card, officially known as a permanent resident card, is an identity document that shows a person has permanent residency in the United States. It allows a non-U.S. citizen to live and work anywhere in the U.S. and qualify for U.S. citizenship after three or five years. Green card holders are formally known as lawful permanent residents. The card is greenish in color and was formerly called a "certificate of alien registration" or an "alien registration receipt card"
. It is granted to individuals through various ways, including sponsorship by a family member or U.S. employer, refugee or asylee status, or other humanitarian programs
