• Petitioning a spouse as a resident U.S. alien can be a lengthy process.couple image by cherie from Fotolia.com
  
  People establish residency in the United States in a variety of ways, including via marriage, being employed in the country, or in some cases, by seeking asylum. The United States government gives out a limited number of permanent residency visas each year and while this enables foreigners to live the American dream, there are a number of disadvantages in being a resident alien. Some of the downfalls to United States permanent residency include being unable to vote and employment ineligibility in government agencies.
  
  

Being Unable to Vote

• Permanent resident aliens of the United States are unable to vote in federal elections. Only U.S. Citizens have the right to participate in federal votes and registering or voting in a country-wide election as an alien is deemed unlawful. Naturalization can be denied and deportation is possible if this occurs. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS,) there are very few jurisdictions where a non-U.S. Citizen is able to vote in local elections also. Not being able to vote is a disadvantage to being a resident alien because it means not being able to have a say in the way your country of residence is driven.
  
  

Petitioning a Spouse

• If you are a permanent resident of the United States and want to petition your spouse to join you in the country, there is a lengthy wait time until permanent residency can be granted to your husband or wife. Despite being an immediate family member, spouses of alien residents must be petitioned and given a visa priority date, as residency is not immediately granted. The U.S. Department of State distributes visa numbers to those petitioned but unfortunately there is a limited number given out each year; as of November 2010, the limit is 226,000. Spousal separation is another disadvantage of being a U.S. permanent resident.
  
  

Employment Ineligibility

• Another disadvantage of being a resident alien in the United States is missing out on well-paying jobs that are reserved only for U.S. Citizens. Government agencies, including TSA, require citizenship of the United States to be granted employment. Certain agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens but only when qualified U.S. Citizens are not available.
  
  

Travel Restrictions

• Permanent residents need to prove that the United States is their constant home, so traveling abroad for more than a year can cause delays and even confiscation of your green card upon re-entry into the United States. A re-entry permit needs to be granted before departure of trips that may be longer than 12-months. Those who stay abroad for two years or more may need to apply for a returning resident visa as well as submit to a medial exam, in order to keep their U.S. residency status in check.