Thumper

Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
outside of the US for no more than a month?

Thanks!

Shelley

I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than a
month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you can
remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit. Someone
will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley

"Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    >
    > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
    > outside of the US for no more than a month?
    >
    > Thanks!

Joachim Feise

Thumper wrote:
    > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
    > outside of the US for no more than a month?

There is no such limitation. Permanent Residents have to have their actual home in
the US. *Temporary* absences for up to 1 year are allowed (up to 2 years with a
reentry permit). For details, see, e.g.,
http://imminfo.com/knowledgebase/imm...bandonment.htm,
http://foreignborn.com/visas_imm/ent...identalien.htm or
http://www.americanlaw.com/maintlpr.html

Lucas

Hi Shelley & Co. ,

do you guys think it is possible to finish the university down here in Europe even
with the green card? (Travelling back and forth, these reentry passes & so on). You
mentioned that it was possible to remain outside the US for up to 1 year. What does
that mean? Up to 1 year of what period of time? Let´s suppose Im a holder of a green
card and need to be in europe for about 8 months a year (for about 2-3 next years).
Could that work out anyhow? Thanks for your input!

Lucas

"Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected] anews.com>...
    > I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than a
    > month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you can
    > remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit. Someone
    > will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley
    >
    > "Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
    > > outside of the US for no more than a month?
    > >
    > > Thanks!
    > >

Haliuna

Can't remember the source but I've read somewhere that if you stay for more than
6 months outside the US you would have to go to the Consulate and apply for an
entry visa.

"Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected] anews.com>...
    > I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than a
    > month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you can
    > remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit. Someone
    > will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley
    >
    > "Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
    > > outside of the US for no more than a month?
    > >
    > > Thanks!
    > >

Liwen Liang

I beleive if you are outside the US for more than 180 days, your continuous residency
would be broken. In other words, the 3 or 5 years clock towards your naturalization
would start all over again.

My brother was out for 207 days the first year he got his green card, when he applied
for naturalization, his case got rejected by INS, stating the above reason.

"Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected] anews.com>...
    > I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than a
    > month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you can
    > remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit. Someone
    > will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley
    >
    > "Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
    > > outside of the US for no more than a month?
    > >
    > > Thanks!
    > >

Lucas

Hi Liwen,

let´s say I am not interested in naturalization whatsoever. For how long may I reside
outside the U.S. soil under given circumstances? Thanks!

Lucas

[email protected] (Liwen Liang) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > I beleive if you are outside the US for more than 180 days, your continuous
    > residency would be broken. In other words, the 3 or 5 years clock towards your
    > naturalization would start all over again.
    >
    > My brother was out for 207 days the first year he got his green card, when he
    > applied for naturalization, his case got rejected by INS, stating the above reason.
    >
    > "Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:<[email protected] anews.com>...
    > > I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than a
    > > month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you can
    > > remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit. Someone
    > > will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley
    > >
    > > "Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > >
    > > > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to
    > > > stay outside of the US for no more than a month?
    > > >
    > > > Thanks!
    > > >
    >

Shelley

Technically, if you leave the US to "reside" anywhere else, you are supposed to
surrender you Green Card when you leave. To keep your Green Card, you must have your
residence in the US, and you cannot be out of the country for more than 1 year. If
you plan to be gone up to 2 years, you need to get a reentry permit before you go to,
but a reentry permit does not guarantee you will be allowed back into the US. Take
Care. Shelley

"Lucas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi Liwen,
    >
    > let´s say I am not interested in naturalization whatsoever. For how long may I
    > reside outside the U.S. soil under given circumstances? Thanks!
    >
    > Lucas
    >
    > [email protected] (Liwen Liang) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > > I beleive if you are outside the US for more than 180 days, your continuous
    > > residency would be broken. In other words, the 3 or 5 years clock towards your
    > > naturalization would start all over again.
    > >
    > > My brother was out for 207 days the first year he got his green card, when he
    > > applied for naturalization, his case got rejected by INS, stating the above
    > > reason.
    > >
    > > "Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected] anews.com>...
    > > > I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for
less
    > > > than a month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US
    > > > residency, you can remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years
with a
    > > > reentry permit. Someone will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley
    > > >
    > > > "Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > >
    > > > > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to
    > > > > stay outside of the US for no more than a month?
    > > > >
    > > > > Thanks!
    > > > >
    > >

Sylvia Ottemoel

There is no cut-and-dried answer. Read these sites for clarification:

http://travel.state.gov/visa;returning_alien.html
http://www.americanlaw.com/maintlpr.html
http://foreignborn.com/visas_imm/ent...identalien.htm
http://antaoandchuang.com/i-keeping.html

Generally, you *may* be able to keep your green card alive without living in the U.S.
for about 5 years. You will have to return to the U.S. at least every two years to
apply for a reentry permit.

There is a question on Form I-131 asking how much time out of the last 5 years has
been spent in the U.S. When that number drops below 6 months, your green card is
pretty much gone.

And keep in mind that you will have to file a U.S. tax return every year, regardless
of whether on not you owe money to the government.

Lucas wrote:

    > let´s say I am not interested in naturalization whatsoever. For how long may I
    > reside outside the U.S. soil under given circumstances?

    > [email protected] (Liwen Liang) wrote in message
    > news:<[email protected]. com>...
    >
    >>I beleive if you are outside the US for more than 180 days, your continuous
    >>residency would be broken. In other words, the 3 or 5 years clock towards your
    >>naturalization would start all over again.

The continuity of residence toward naturalization is absolutely broken if the person
remains outside the U.S. for more than one year.

If he or she remains outside for more than 6 months, but less than one year, the
continuity may not be considered broken if the person can convince INS (through
evidence provided with Form N-400) that permanent resident status was not abandoned.

    >>My brother was out for 207 days the first year he got his green card, when he
    >>applied for naturalization, his case got rejected by INS, stating the above reason.

    >>"Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >>news:<[email protected] iganews.com>...

    >>>I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than a
    >>>month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you can
    >>>remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit.

    >>>"Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

    >>>>Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to stay
    >>>>outside of the US for no more than a month?

Lucas

Hi Sylvia,

thank you for the very helpful links you sent put on this board. Anyways, it is a new
piece of information to me concerning the fact that it is possible to hold the PR
status alive for the period of 5 years. Nevertheless, I think the INS is gonna make
problems if someone files for a reentry permit for a 2nd,3rd time in a row. A very
good thing is to be in possesion of some valuable property. Well, is there any1
outthere who has their GC for a longer period of time without being physically(except
of short trips) there for the whole time?

bye,

Lucas

P.S. nobody seems to be talkin about DV-2003 notification in Europe so far. Has
anyone in Europe received it yet? Bye!

Sylvia Ottemoeller <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > There is no cut-and-dried answer. Read these sites for clarification:
    >
    > http://travel.state.gov/visa;returning_alien.html
    > http://www.americanlaw.com/maintlpr.html
    > http://foreignborn.com/visas_imm/ent...identalien.htm
    > http://antaoandchuang.com/i-keeping.html
    >
    > Generally, you *may* be able to keep your green card alive without living in the
    > U.S. for about 5 years. You will have to return to the U.S. at least every two
    > years to apply for a reentry permit.
    >
    > There is a question on Form I-131 asking how much time out of the last 5 years has
    > been spent in the U.S. When that number drops below 6 months, your green card is
    > pretty much gone.
    >
    > And keep in mind that you will have to file a U.S. tax return every year,
    > regardless of whether on not you owe money to the government.
    >
    > Lucas wrote:
    >
    >
    > > let´s say I am not interested in naturalization whatsoever. For how long may I
    > > reside outside the U.S. soil under given circumstances?
    >
    > > [email protected] (Liwen Liang) wrote in message
    > > news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > >
    > >>I beleive if you are outside the US for more than 180 days, your continuous
    > >>residency would be broken. In other words, the 3 or 5 years clock towards your
    > >>naturalization would start all over again.
    >
    >
    > The continuity of residence toward naturalization is absolutely broken if the
    > person remains outside the U.S. for more than one year.
    >
    > If he or she remains outside for more than 6 months, but less than one year, the
    > continuity may not be considered broken if the person can convince INS (through
    > evidence provided with Form N-400) that permanent resident status was not
    > abandoned.
    >
    >
    > >>My brother was out for 207 days the first year he got his green card, when he
    > >>applied for naturalization, his case got rejected by INS, stating the above
    > >>reason.
    >
    > >>"Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > >>news:<[email protected] iganews.com>...
    >
    > >>>I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than
    > >>>a month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you
    > >>>can remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit.
    >
    >
    > >>>"Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > >>>news:[email protected]...
    >
    > >>>>Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to
    > >>>>stay outside of the US for no more than a month?

Liwen Liang

Up to a year (continuously, I mean.) If you leavel on Jan 1, 2002, you should
definitely be back from Dec. 31, 2002, unless you have that re-entry permit.

[email protected] (Lucas) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > Hi Liwen,
    >
    > let´s say I am not interested in naturalization whatsoever. For how long may I
    > reside outside the U.S. soil under given circumstances? Thanks!
    >
    > Lucas
    >
    > [email protected] (Liwen Liang) wrote in message
    > news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > > I beleive if you are outside the US for more than 180 days, your continuous
    > > residency would be broken. In other words, the 3 or 5 years clock towards your
    > > naturalization would start all over again.
    > >
    > > My brother was out for 207 days the first year he got his green card, when he
    > > applied for naturalization, his case got rejected by INS, stating the above
    > > reason.
    > >
    > > "Shelley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:<[email protected] anews.com>...
    > > > I have never heard that Green Card holders could not leave the US for less than
    > > > a month. It is my understanding that as long as have proof of US residency, you
    > > > can remain outside the US for up to 1 year, or 2 years with a reentry permit.
    > > > Someone will correct me if I am wrong. Take Care. Shelley
    > > >
    > > > "Thumper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > >
    > > > > Is there any story about limitation of permission for Green Card holders to
    > > > > stay outside of the US for no more than a month?
    > > > >
    > > > > Thanks!
    > > > >
    > >