Permanent Residency: Path to American Benefits

The United States is full of infrastructure and programs that make life easier and make America one of the most advanced countries in the world. The Green Card Lottery, which is ending at noon on November 3, 2012, allows immigrants to get relatively easy permanent resident status which lets them enjoy the benefits and ancillary perks of the United States.

Many of the things that residents of the United States enjoy are courtesy of the government and are often overlooked by people who already live in America. There are some truly amazing structures and public works in the United States that make everyone’s lives easier, but we either don’t see them or we ignore them.

One of the largest and most ignored feats of American infrastructure is the Interstate Highway System. Officially it is named after Dwight D. Eisenhower the commanding general of World War II and American President during the 1950s. The primary interstate roads take up thousands upon thousands of miles of high-speed traffic across the country which feed smaller, but still impressively long state tributaries.

These roads are the arteries that keep the United States alive and its economy going strong. It allows millions of people to get to where they need to go every day and makes going on vacation a possibility without having to take three weeks to get to the vacation location.

Many people are also unaware that there are large amounts of money available to residents of the United States for the purpose of getting higher education. These come in the form of Pell grants or subsidized loans and are available to permanent residents as well as born citizens. Many people are wary of loans for school because they are afraid of debt, but they shouldn’t be. First of all debt isn’t an entirely bad thing, in fact, it builds one’s credit and allows you greater financial freedom. Student loans also carry some of the lowest interest rates around, significantly lower when compared to credit card interest. Also, with a college degree you are statistically more likely to get a higher paying job which will make it easier to pay back what you owe on the loan.

In order to receive the benefits of government assistance in going to school it is necessary to file the correct paperwork. Part of this is registration in the Selective Service if you are a man. The Selective Service is the American conscription registry and all men must register for it within 30 days of their 18th birthday. If you are a new immigrant between the ages of 18 and 26 you must also register with the Selective Service as soon as possible.

If you don’t register you will not be able to take out student loans or apply for grants for school so it is important that you do register. The likelihood of being drafted is extremely unlikely due to the United States’ military’s preference for an all-volunteer armed force. However, enlisting in the military is not a bad idea, there are a variety of programs surrounding the American armed forces that can help you be successful. Visit an enlistment station near you for more information.