A permanent resident refers to a person's visa status that allows them to reside indefinitely within a country without necessarily having citizenship within that country. A person who has been granted the ability to live within a given country for an unlimited amount of time is known as a permanent resident, and they have been granted this status by the government of that country. Not every country has the ability to become a permanent resident, though an increasing number of countries are making such provisions. Though a permanent resident may enjoy many of the same benefits as a citizen of the given country, they are not allowed all the same rights. Rights such as voting, holding a public office, or collecting benefits such as Social Security are not allowed to a permanent resident.