Permanent residency
From Freepedia
Permanent residency refers to a person's status such that the person is allowed to reside indefinitely within the country despite not having citizenship. A person with such status is known as a permanent resident.
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Countries with permanent residency systems
Not every country has a facility for someone to be a 'permanent resident'. Those that do include:
- United States of America
- Canada (permanent residents were known as landed immigrants before 28 June 2002)
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom (either through Indefinite Leave to Remain or Right of Abode)
- Singapore
- Switzerland (called a C permit)
- Argentina
- Chile
- Spain
Rights of permanent residents
Depending on the country, permanent residents usually have the same rights as citizens except for:
- the right to vote or stand for public office
- the right to apply for public sector employment
- the right to hold the passport of that country, or access its consular protection
Obligations of permanent residents
Permanent residents may be required to fulfil specific residence obligations to retain their status. In some cases, permanent residency may be conditional on a certain type of employment or maintenance of a business. For example, permanent residents may be subject to military service obligations. In the United States, permanent resident males are obliged to register with Selective Service on the same basis as citizens.
Loss of status
Permanent residents may lose their status if:
- they fail to comply with residence or other obligations imposed on them
- if they commit crimes they may be subject to deportation or removal from the country
Access to citizenship
Usually permanent residents may apply for citizenship by naturalisation after a period of residence in the country concerned.
Automatic entitlement
Full permanent residence rights are granted automatically between:
- the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom
- the states of the Nordic Council
Rights conferred under the European Union Treaties do not extend to full permanent residence, but in practise there is little difference.
Australian and New Zealand citizens have significant rights of residence in each other's nations under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.
Proof of permanent residency
People who are granted permanent residency in a country are usually issued some sort of documentary evidence as legal proof of this status. In the past, many countries would merely stamp the person's passport indicating that the holder was admitted as a permanent resident or that he was exempt from immigration control and permitted to work without restriction. Other countries would issue a photo ID card (known in the United States as a "green card.") Other countries will issue a visa sticker in the person's passport or present them with letter to indicate their permanent resident status.
