Green Card status entitles an individual to gain permanent residency within the United States for an unlimited amount of time. Obtaining a Green Card can sometimes be a stressful process but results in the ultimate visa that allows an individual to live and work in the United States for as long as they wish. To gain and keep green card status is something that many work for, as it's the next step towards naturalization which results in citizenship. Green Card status is what many strive for but they must be granted a Green Card after attaining a number of criteria and meeting the necessary requirements. While there are some rights associated with Green Card status, it is not the same thing as naturalization or citizenship so certain rights such as voting are not permissible at this point in the process.