January 2026 Update:
As of January 2026, the financial and legal landscape for immigrants has shifted significantly. The filing fee for Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) is now $710 for online filings and $760 for paper filings, and as of January 1, 2026, USCIS has transitioned to electronic-only payments (debit, ACH, or credit card), no longer accepting paper checks or money orders for most filings. Furthermore, under the January 2026 Presidential Proclamation, permanent residents from 39 designated “high-risk” countries may face enhanced scrutiny and secondary inspections upon re-entry to the U.S., even with a valid green card. The government has also implemented a “strict-discretion” enforcement of the Public Charge rule, meaning that a permanent resident’s past or current use of certain non-cash public benefits (such as subsidized health programs or food assistance) is now being more aggressively scrutinized during the citizenship application process. For the most current fee details and a list of countries affected by the 2026 travel restrictions, please consult the official USCIS G-1055 Fee Schedule and the Department of State Newsroom.
(The following article was written in 2022, please consult with an immigration attorney for up-to-date information on the current status of this or any other immigration program)
Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) have many rights and privileges, like living and working in the United States indefinitely. There are, however, several limitations that come with permanent resident status that U.S. Citizens don’t have. It is important for all green card holders to be aware of the differences between permanent resident status and citizenship; how it affects their rights and responsibilities; how to maintain their permanent residency status; and how to eventually obtain U.S. citizenship.
What Are the Differences Between Permanent Resident Status and Citizenship?
Here are the restrictions green card holders have that U.S. Citizens do not:
- Voting – Permanent residents don’t have voting privileges. They cannot vote in local, State-level or Federal elections and doing so would be considered a crime. U.S. citizens have no such restrictions and can vote in all elections.
- U.S. Passports – Permanent residents cannot obtain a U.S. passport and must continue maintaining the passport of their home country. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to hold U.S. passports.
- Deportation Protection – U.S. citizens cannot be subjected to deportation to another country under any circumstances. Permanent residents do not have this protection and can have their permanent residency status revoked and deported to their home countries.
- Public Office – Permanent residents cannot run for or hold public office, while U.S. citizens are free to do so.
- Bringing Family Members to The U.S. – Although permanent residents can petition to bring their relatives to the U.S., they must do so under the “Family Preference” visa class which are subject to quotas, waiting periods and other limitations. U.S. Citizens can apply to bring their immediate overseas relatives over through the “Immediate Relative” visa class which does not have annual quotas and are typically processed much faster. For more information please see our article on Bringing Family Members to the U.S.
- Government Benefits – Permanent residents are eligible for benefits, but on a limited scale (many government programs have a five-year waiting period before permanent residents can start receiving benefits). U.S. citizens, on the other hand, can take advantage of the full range of government benefits.
- Government Jobs – While permanent residents are free to work anywhere in the U.S., they will be barred from finding employment in many U.S. Government Agencies, as those jobs are limited, by law, to U.S. citizens only.
- Travelling Abroad – Overseas travel can be cumbersome for permanent residents when compared to U.S. citizens. Green card holders who spend above a certain amount of time abroad each year risk having their permanent resident status revoked. Permanent residents must also ensure they have a valid non-expired green card to re-enter the United States from another country
A green card should not be considered to be your final immigration status, but a stepping stone to obtaining U.S. Citizenship. Please Contact Us if you have questions about maintaining your permanent residency status or how to obtain U.S. Citizenship.