Permanent residence is a status held by a person after qualifying and being registered by Immigration and Naturalization Services. This allows you to permanently reside in the U­S, to travel in and out of the U­S without a visa, to work at any job, and to build up time towards citizenship. You are given a green card if you're a permanent resident. You can obtain lawful permanent resident status in several ways. If you're the close relative of a U­S citizen or permanent resident who petitions you, you can apply for permanent residence. The amount of time you have to wait will vary, depending on the closeness of the relationship, the relative's immigration status, your marital status, and your birth country. You may also be eligible for permanent residence by being petitioned by a U­S employer who can't fill the job with qualified U­S workers. This is often a good opportunity for aliens with education and experience for a particular job that don't have a close relative to petition for them. The immigrant visa lottery is another way to obtain permanent resident status. By filling out the appropriate forms and sending in the application and fees by the deadline, you may be selected to receive permanent resident status. Investors, people of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors or researchers, multinational managers or executives, and religious workers are often eligible for employment­based permanent resident status. Finally, if you're involved in removal, deportation, or exclusion proceedings, you might be qualified to file for permanent residence through cancellation of removal. A lawyer who specializes in immigration law can give you more information on applying for permanent residence in your particular situation.