WhoFan63

Once you get your green card you just can't be out of the country for 12 months or more because you will be considered as having abandoned your residency, so you could go to the UK for a few months and see how you feel once you are there.
I once left for 11 months because I had to go back to Australia when I found my Mums Cancer had returned. I stayed by her side until she passed and when I flew back I didn't have any problems getting back. But maybe I was just lucky I don't know.

sarahneal

I would think 11 months would give you enough time to work out whether or not you want to stay in the UK for the long haul.

Another thought, can you got back after 11 months to the US stay for holiday and then return to the UK for another 11 months?

rebeccajo

But she says she doesn't have the card yet.............

The OP hasn't really said how she arrived in the US or what her legal status is now. But if she's in overstay, and she leaves the US now, she's got a bar from returning. Either a three year bar or ten year, depending on ........... well several things.

If this is her situation, then she just needs to be sure she wants to leave.

*Adding that I just re-read the OP's posts and see she has traveled in the past - so - I'm really confused as to her US status!*

happyglow

OP, I feel for you. Tough one.

Personally? If a country treated me in such a cavalier way as america treats its legal immigrants, I'd be telling them to stuff it

rebeccajo

I'm not sure the UK is being a whole lot nicer to its legal immigrants either, at the moment..............

happyglow

A UK passport opens a world of other options though

rebeccajo

Yep, that it does.

lelo29uk

I am in somewhat of the same position as the OP and am returning to England in April of this year to visit family and sort out if returning is a part of my equation any longer. Some of the posters have mentioned checking out career fields in UK and seeing what is in demand. I have been doing some Google-ing and not having much luck in determining what is going on..... Any rec's on where I can find that information? I feel it could help both myself and the OP - so as not to hijack their post !

windsong

There's a "finding a job in the UK" thread that was started recently:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=789380

lelo29uk

Thanks Windsong! I did find it after posting last.....Just wasn't quick enough to get back over and post. I am lost in research mode and one things to seems to another!

Englishmum

Once you have a Green Card you can leave the US to live overseas for 1 to 2 years by applying for a 'Re-Entry Permit'. There are some Canadian expats here in Switzerland - friends of ours who work with my spouse - who have Green Cards and they did it. In fact, they are on a 3 year posting so had to go on a visit back to the States to re-file for a second Re-Entry permit.

You still have to file your US taxes though....

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/usc...00082ca60aRCRD

However....do bear in mind that if you hold a GC for 8 years or more or become a US citizen you must file a tax return with the IRS for the rest of your life...

WhoFan63

I was under the impression from what I was told by the IRS that once I am no longer a 'resident' of the US, then provided all my current taxes are up to date, then I no longer need to file a tax return in the US. So if you leave the US permanently and become resident of another country, you are no longer liable to lodge a US tax return. At least that's what the IRS told me.

Mummy in the foothills

Not if you are a US citizen.
Green card holders pay an exit tax or something.

WhoFan63

Ok, now I am officially going to cry !!!!!!!! I'm trying to find something online that will explain this 'exit tax' more completely to me, but can't find anything that seems to be dated AFTER 2009. So at this stage I don't know if I am liable for the exit tax because I don't have 600,000 in financial assets or something to that effect.

But this is definitely something I want to look into, because as a permanent resident of the US I want to make sure that when I leave in April, the US government can't come chasing after me and make me liable for tax in the US based on earnings in the UK.

Is anyone more familiar with the exit tax? Anybody that is about to leave or has already left the US and contacted the IRS about this??? Someone who is a permanent resident and not a US citizen, because I think the rules are slightly different for citizens than they are for permanent residents.