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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. Countries with permanent residency systems Not every country has a facility for someone to be a 'permanent resident'. Those that do include: Rights of permanent residents Depending on the country, permanent residents usually have the same rights as citizens except for: Obligations of permanent residents Permanent residents may be required to fulfill 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. Some countries have compulsory military service for Permanent Residents and Citizens. For example, Singapore requires all males who are citizens and permanent residents to complete a compulsory 2 years of service in the army known as National Service (NS) upon attaining 18 years of age. Subsequently, they are required to attend annual in-camp training and can be called on for operationally ready service until the age of 40. Failure to register for or complete National Service can result in heavy penalties. In a similar vein, the United States has Selective Service, a compulsory registration for military service, which is required of all male citizens and permanent residents ages 18 to 26; curiously, this requirement applies even to those residing in the country illegally. Applications for citizenship may be denied or otherwise impeded if the applicant cannot prove having complied with this requirement. Loss of status Permanent residents may lose their status if: Access to citizenship Usually permanent residents may apply for citizenship by naturalisation after a period of residence in the country concerned. In many nations an application for naturalisation can be denied on character grounds sometimes resulting in individuals that are not in danger of being deported but may not proceed to citizenship. In the United States, the residency requirements for citizenship may vary according to the basis for residency; for example, those who achieved legal permanent residence by marriage may apply for citizenship three years after residency was granted, while others must wait five years. Those who have served in the armed forces may qualify for an expedited process allowing citizenship after only one year. Automatic entitlement Full permanent residence rights are granted automatically between: 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") or would issue a visa sticker in the person's passport or present them with letter to indicate their permanent resident status. In Singapore, permanent residents are issued a blue identity card with their photograph, thumb print and other personal particulars. Loss of the identification document and/or the possession of a stolen document are major crimes in many countries. Notes See also | |||||||
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