Question:
I recently received my Green
Card, and I am planning
to travel outside of United States for more than one year due
to my
work and family reason. How to keep my Green Card in the United States?
and I can come back later without any problem to enter United States?
Answer:
A Green Card holder (U.S. lawful permanent or
conditional resident) can travel
outside the U.S. and return, with some limitations. A reentry permit
can help prevent two types of problems: 1) your Green Card becomes
technically invalid for reentry into U.S., if you are absent from U.S.
for one year or more; 2) your Green Card status may be considered
as
abandoned for absences shorter than one year, if you take up residence
in another country.
A reentry permit establishes that a Green Card holder did not intend to
abandon U.S. permanent residence status,
and it allows you to apply for admission to U.S. after traveling abroad
for up to 2 years without having to obtain a returning resident
visa. If you are a Green Card holder planning to travel outside
of U.S. for one year or more, it is important that you apply for a
reentry permit
A reentry permit is used when a U.S. Green Card
holder wishes
to leave the United States for a period of between 1 year and 2 years,
but does not want to be viewed as having abandoned the U.S. residence
or Green Card. The USCIS Form I-131 is used
to apply for a Reentry Permit.
As
a Green Card holder, you must be in United States
when applying for a
reentry permit, and must attend the USCIS biometrics appointment before
leaving United States. But you can request to pick up the reentry permit approval at a U.S. embassy in your
home country, or you can ask that it be sent to an
overseas address. The reentry permit itself looks similar
to a passport, and will contain your photo. It will normally
expire after 2 years. |
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