Why should one bother becoming a Legal Resident?
595451
Good question. It seems to me like there's no use in working the system to enjoy the American dream when you can steal it from America's youth.
640520
YES, WHY NOT? BEFORE GOVERNMENTS WERE ESTABLISHED, PEOPLE USED TO WALK MILE AND MILES UNTIL THEY DECIDED TO STAY THINKING THAT WAS THE BEST LAND TO START A NEW LIFE, SOME OF US WERE LUCKY SOME OF US WERE NOT, AS YOU CAN SEE NOW, WE HAVE BORDER OWNERS PRESIDENTS, PRIME MINISTERS, KINGDOMS.ETC... THE REST IS YOUR TO THINK ABOUT IT....IT IS HUMAN TO LET PEOPLE TO TRY TO SURVIVE THE BEST WAY THAT THEY CAN , IF IT MEAN TO ENTER ILLEGAL TO A COUNTRY IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHY NOT AS LONG THEY ARE NOT DOING NOTHING OUT OF NORMAL TO EARN FOR THEIR NEEDS I THINK THEY CAN STAY THERE SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR A COUNTRY LIKE US.
895409
Because there are laws and regulations and background checks that need to be done. I think you need to show that you are an asset to the community, that you are NOT a felon or wanted criminal in your own country.\n\nMoney and influence have nothing to do with it. That's one reason everyone wants to come here...we treat them like humans.
175925
You could try entering legally in the first place,and not just cheating the system.How would you make a good citizen if your first act is fraud?\nGetting a hang on proper English will get you far also.Assuming it's not your first language you are doing good.
275021
Legal, PERMANENT RESIDENTS(Green card holders) may enlist in the military.  the residency requirement for citizenship is waived or greatly reduced.  They can apply for citizenship I believe after one year, instead of the normal 5. All other requirements must be met.  It is not automatic, but it is greatly expeditited.\n\nNon citizens are restricted from jobs that require any kind of clearance, nor are they allowed to be Officers.   Once they get their citizenship, however, assuming they qualify in all other areas, they may Commission or get get a Clearance.
668678
Obtaining a GED requires being a legal resident. Any institution that fails to check a student's legal status before admitting him to get the GED is only flaunting the immigration laws and is liable to penalty.
195593
The important thing about residency is the INTENT to stay for at least 1 year + 1 day.  Also, you can not have filed state taxes in any other state for a certain period of time (I forget exactly how long).  I have lived in California my whole life, so I have never had to deal with that part of the issue.
258031
No. It's not worth the hassle of going thru the charade.  \nPretending for Immigration is a full time job.  You have to become a professional liar to get and keep your story straight.  Not worth it!
530090
Yes you are partially correct.  There are fees involved in applying for permanent residency.  It can be costly.  However, if you really have the strong desire to get legalized, you will find means to produce the money.  And I don't condone getting the money by committing more crimes.
636069
Why would you want to.  Living here isn't all it's cracked up to be.
1109734
The answer is you can lose your status. A permanet resident (not a citizen) can lose their opportunity to stay here(America) if they break a variety of laws. There are 15 violations listed of the paperwork... A simple DUI IS GROUNDS, not being able to support yourself......It's a very interesting ambigous law....
599440
That would be the mayor of the town you live in.\n\nDon't mind the ignorant answers you have gotten thus far. You have chosen to come to our country and become a legal American citizen the "right" way. That's a good thing!!! :)
389716
yes...I'm pretty sure to mainain your citizenship, you must spend at least 1/2 of the year here.  For example, if you own a house in another county, you cannot live there year-round, but just 6 months of the year
421936
As soon as they become a legal resident at another location.  Staying within one state makes it harder to show one is now a resident somewhere else within the state since most people don't go and get a new DL/plates.  Moving out of state it's easy to know if they plan on returning since a person gets his DL/plates in the state they reside.  So if they move from TX to MN and pickup MN plates/DL then they shown they are no longer a resident in TX.  \n\nNone of this affects their legal right to own land.  One can own multiple pieces of land in different states/countries, but one can only have ONE residence.  This is the place they devout most of their time to.
1178839
first off I want to commend you for thinking about staying here in a legal way. Why do you need a green card now? Did your other one run out or are you here illegally?
1133193
No, you can't . Most of these morons think that becoming a legal resident and citizen is an easy task, It's not.\nYou have to apply in your country of birth for legal residence,  doing so will take about seven to 10 years. to do that you must prove to have a clean record and have no convictions, you must show proof that you have the monetary capacity to live in your native land and pay for your food, clothing and place to live (which is a bit contradictory since most immigrants aim to come here because they lack this) after that you must have a background check and wait for this to clear. If you're lucky (and I do mean Lucky) you'll have an interview with someone at the American Embassy and depending on how that goes you may have to wait about a year to receive your "green card". All this is done while you live in your country, not here.\n\n\nGood luck
677707
Anyone, foreign citizen or otherwise, can own property in the US. Permanent residency allows you to buy and permanently live in a house in the US. It does not allow you to receive any benefits that are given only to citizens, meaning you cannot get social security or vote, and likely hold political office, though that may depend on the office. To receive those rights, you must become a naturalized citizen.