The US Citizenship and Immigration services (USCIS) recently announced that the US permanent resident green card will be redesigned to incorporate new security features. The green card redesign is necessary to deter immigration fraud.
The new green card will use state of the art technology to prevent counterfeiting, obstruct tampering and facilitate quick and accurate authentication. Beginning in early May, all newly issued and replacement green cards will be in the new, more secure, format.
US immigration officials hope that the new security features on the green card will help law enforcement, employers and immigrants who use the green card as proof of authorization to live and work in the US. The new design includes a secure optical media to store biometrics for rapid and reliable identification of the card holder; holographic images, laser engraved fingerprints, and high-resolution micro-images to make the green card almost impossible to forge. Further, tighter integration of the card design with personalized elements make it difficult to alter the actual card if stolen.
Immigration officials have also incorporated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capability, which will allow Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at ports of entry to read the card from a distance and compare it immediately to file data. Finally, a preprinted return address will enable the easy return of a lost card to USCIS.
The United States permanent resident card is called a “green card” because it used to be green. US immigration officials are returning the card to it’s original color for easy recognition.
