A permanent resident is a person who has been granted the right to live in a country by the government of that country.

In the U.S., a permanent resident will be given a “Green Card”, a photo ID as a proof of their status. Incidentally, the photo ID issued to immigrants in the U.S. got its name from actually being green in colour from 1946 to 1964.

Usually, citizenship is by birth or by naturalization.

As an immigrant, you will have to get the PR before you can think of applying for citizenship. An immigrant cannot directly apply for citizenship in the country that he is living in.

We live in a borderless world. Many choose to study and work overseas, requiring a visa. Visas for study and work are issued for a limited time and have to be renewed, which can be quite a hassle. PR is a better option in such cases.

With PR, you can stay on in the country permanently, while retaining your own citizenship. PR holders get many rights equal to that of the citizens, except the right to vote or applying for positions under the government.