Synonyms

green card

American

noun

an official card, originally green, issued by the U.S. government to foreign nationals permitting them to work in the U.S.

green card British

noun

an official permit allowing the holder permanent residence and employment, issued to foreign nationals in the US
an insurance document covering motorists against accidents abroad
social welfare (in Britain) an identification card issued by the Manpower Services Commission to a disabled person, to show registration for employment purposes and eligibility for special services See also handicap register registered disabled

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

green-carder noun

Etymology

Origin of green card

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Visa holders can eventually become eligible to apply for green cards, which would let them stay in the country indefinitely.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ansari’s family emigrated to the U.S. when he was 10, after winning the rare U.S. green card lottery.

From Los Angeles Times

After working for more than a decade, her father had his application for a green card approved less than two years ago, Kiro said.

From Los Angeles Times

This distinction is significant for Cubans, since those who receive humanitarian parole can seek a green card under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act.

From The Wall Street Journal

That means anyone who applied for asylum, a visa, a green card or any other benefit remains in limbo indefinitely.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023