20+ Difference between PR and Citizenship

People commonly get the phrases “permanent resident” and “U.S. citizen” mixed up. Both allow you to lawfully reside in the United States and, in certain cases, for the rest of your life.

However, they have vastly different connotations about one’s immigration status, one’s capacity to apply for other family members to immigrate, and one’s degree of protection against the risk of deportation.

Comparison Between PR And Citizenship

Parameter	PR	Citizenship
Durability	Staying outside of a country for a long time can result in losing permanent resident status, depending on the country’s rules. For instance, being absent from the UK for more than two years after being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain can lead to revocation of status.	There is no time limit on holding citizenship in a particular nation.
Voting	People living permanently in states where exercising these rights is legal can still vote in those states, even if it is illegal in other jurisdictions.	To participate in the voting process for national elections, a person must either be a citizen of the United States or have been given permanent status in this country. .
Traveling	Permanent residents must follow stricter regulations than citizens. To re-enter the US, they need an unexpired green card.	Everyone has unrestricted access to enter and exit the country at any time that best suits their needs.
Rights	Immediate family members (spouse and unmarried minor children) of a permanent resident can also apply for green cards to live and work in the US.	US citizens can get a passport from the State Department. They can travel to many countries without a visa. They can freely leave and return to the US without reentry permission or facing inadmissibility.

Major Difference Between PR And Citizenship

What exactly is PR?

Even if you are not a citizen of the nation, you must still follow the law to call that country home permanently.

You have the right to remain in the nation indefinitely, regardless of whether or not you are a citizen.

In the United States, the following individual has the permanent resident status: Green card holders are those who have been awarded permanent residence in the United States of America.

Key Difference: PR

Incapable of serving in a public office or voting in elections; barred from taking part in either activity by law.
It is possible for a person’s status as a permanent resident to be revoked under some circumstances.
The vast majority of applications need proof that the applicant has really resided in the country for at least some minimal amount of time.
Regular reviews are required to maintain one’s status as a permanent country resident.
The circumstances in which your children were brought up will be one of the factors considered when determining whether or not they are qualified.

What exactly is Citizenship?

Being a citizen means something. Citizens are the legal residents of a nation. In order to be considered a legal resident of a country, one must meet certain criteria in each nation.

In order to get citizenship in a nation, one must either be born there, have resided there for five to ten years, or have been recognized as a refugee by that country’s government.

Key Difference: Citizenship

Be given the right to vote and the chance to run for public office, be permitted to cast a vote and be able to use the polling booth.
Revocation of a person’s citizenship may never be an option under any circumstances.
There is no need to carry on conversations in one’s native language.
Once a person has been awarded citizenship, that citizenship cannot be taken away from them by the law.
If you want this to be possible for your offspring, they can take up your citizenship when you pass it on to them.

Contrast Between PR And Citizenship

Passport eligibility:

PR- Permanent residents are not permitted to apply for a passport because of this restriction.

This is because people who have been living in the country for an extended period are considered citizens of the nation.

Citizenship- If the country in which you now live is a member of the European Union and your passport is from that country, you have a higher degree of freedom of movement within the EU than citizens of non-EU countries.

In addition, there is an increase in the number of possibilities to travel for a job and study. Therefore, being a citizen of the United States and possessing a passport is very advantageous, particularly for travel inside the European Union.

Voting rights:

PR- In the great majority of nations, you will not be permitted to vote in an election unless you can first prove that you satisfy the residence requirements that are necessary to do so. This is the case in the United States.

A person must submit an application for citizenship after living in a country for a predetermined amount of time and after satisfying a set of residency requirements to be eligible to vote in governmental elections and referendums.

Citizenship- If you are a citizen of the country and above the age of 18, you have the right to vote in every election in which you are eligible to vote.

If you are not a citizen of the country, you do not have the right to vote. Even if you are not a citizen of the nation, you are still entitled to use this privilege.

Deportation:

PR- One of the potential consequences that may result from a wide variety of criminal offenses is the removal from the country of a person who has been a citizen or permanent resident for a significant amount of time and considers that nation their home.

This is one of the potential repercussions that may result.

Citizenship- Those persons with a citizenship status in the United States are exempt from the process for deportation because it is not regarded that they are foreign nationals.

This exemption comes as a result of the fact that it is not considered that these individuals are foreign nationals. Those with citizenship status in the United States are exempt from the proceedings for deportation and will not be influenced by them in any way.

Jobs:

PR- There is a significant gap between the employment and financial opportunities open to naturalized citizens of the United States and those open to permanent residents of the country in this country.

In this country, naturalized citizens have significantly fewer employment and financial opportunities than permanent residents. Citizens who were born in the United States have access to a narrower pool of opportunities.

Citizenship- Some jobs, most notably those in the public sector, can only be filled by individuals the government recognizes as being eligible to work and live in the nation where they are employed.

People who are not eligible to work and live in the nation where they are employed are not permitted to apply for these jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why does having citizenship matter so much?

Being a recognized citizen of a country confers several legal advantages, some of which may include the right to vote, the ability to hold public office, the right to social security, the right to health services, the right to public education, the right to permanent residency, the right to own land, or the ability to engage in paid work, depending on the country in question.

Q2. Which of the rights that belong to a citizen do most people think of as being absolutely necessary?

These include the right to life, the right to a fair trial, the right to be free from torture and other harsh and inhuman penalties, the freedom of speech and religion, the right to receive medical treatment, an education, and a standard of living that is acceptable.

One also has the right not to be subjected to torture or any other kind of cruel or inhuman treatment.

Q3. When exactly did the process of becoming a citizen start?

According to the provisions of the first u.s. Citizenship Act, which Congress passed on March 26, 1790 (1 Stat. 103), any free, adult, white alien, male or female, who had resided within the United States for at least two years and been subject to its jurisdiction was eligible to apply for citizenship.

Q4. How long can someone maintain their status as a permanent resident?

Although certain Permanent Resident Cards, also known as Green Cards, do not have an expiry date printed on them, most of these cards only remain valid for ten years.

If you have been given the status of conditional permanent resident, the card will be valid for you for a period of two years.

Q5. Can you have two permanent residents?

It is possible to submit an application; however, it is quite likely that it will be rejected because it is extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, to meet the requirements for permanent residency in more than one location simultaneously.

Although it is possible to submit an application, it is likely that it will be rejected for this reason.