Information that is Included on Permanent Resident Cards

If you have successfully made it through all the legal steps and have been granted Permanent Resident status, then congratulations are in order! It is not easy obtaining a Permanent Resident card. It takes a great deal of time, patience and money. What you now have in your possession is a legal document and it should remain on your person at all times. The following article will discuss the information that is contained on Permanent Resident Cards, more commonly referred to as "Green Cards".

The first thing you will see in bold letters on the front of your card is Permanent Resident Card all in capitals. The next line will include your Alien File Number, which is your unique number you are given as an immigrant. It will start off with A# followed by nine digits. It is important to know this number when contacting USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services), as they can quickly pull up your information if they have your Alien File Number to go by.

Next, you will notice your surname, followed by your first name and middle name, if you have one. When you receive your Green Card, you should look it over and make sure that your name has been spelled correctly. This is important. If it looks different to the way it is rendered in your passport, then you may have some explaining to do to immigration officials when re-entering the United States from a trip abroad. That means if you spot a spelling error, you should contact USCIS at your earliest convenience and ask for a replacement card. USCIS will take care of their errors without additional cost to you.

The next line will list three things: your birthdate, category of admittance into the United States and then your sex. To the right of this, you will see an impression of your fingerprint. For European immigrants who are used to seeing dates rendered day, month, year, they will have to get used to seeing their birthdate now rendered month, day, year. Again, it is important to ensure that your date of birth is correct. Errors occur at an alarming rate, so you might have to send your card back if it is incorrect and ask for a new one.