From Kathy Gill,
Your Guide to US Politics.
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Definition: Green card is the popular name given to the US Permanent Resident Card. Foreigners who hold such an identification car are legal residents of the US and eligible for employment. The term of the card is 10 years; it is renewable. The card is issued by the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (now Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Department of Homeland Security) and contains a photo and fingerprint. Once-upon-a-time the card was green, but today it looks something like a driver's license.

Also Known As: Alien Registration Receipt Card, Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551.

Alternate Spellings: Greencard

Examples: The immigration debate centers in part on the number of green cards the US will issue in any given year.