Definition of the word green card

The term "green card" is commonly used to refer to the permanent residence card issued by the United States government to foreign nationals who have been granted lawful permanent residency (LPR) in the country. The phrase "green card" originated from the color of the card itself, which used to be a deep green hue, dating back to the 1950s. Before then, LPRs received cards of various colors, including white and brown, but in 1917, the government began printing all resident cards green, due to the availability of the dye at the time. In 1951, the design of the green card was updated to feature a smaller card size, simpler layout, and a signature strip added on the right side for security. Today, while the card's color has since changed to a more muted shade of green, the phrase "green card" continues to be widely used as a colloquial term to represent permanent residency status in the United States.