Immigration & Naturalization Law
I was issued a temporary visa to enter the United States legally, can I stay in the United States as a permanent resident?
Certain visas have a specified duration of time to stay in the United States. As a permanent resident, you are authorized to live and work in the U.S. and will renew your green card every ten years. As a visa holder, depending on the visa you hold, extensions of your status have to be filed more frequently. Moreover, there are certain visas that may not be renewed or extended yearly or indefinitely, and thus have a maximum allowable time. Once the authorized time has reached it maximum, that visa may no longer be extended and thus the foreign national will have to return to their home country.
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