Tag Archives: reentry permit

Reentry Permit posts in the CitizenPath immigration blog.

Green Card Renewal from Outside the U.S.

Green Card, Maintain GC, Travel Documents, ,
Green Card Renewal From Outside the United States

You are outside the United States. Perhaps you’re visiting family or traveling on business, and you realize that your green card is expiring, already expired or even missing. You already know that having valid, unexpired proof of permanent resident status is critical for reentry at a U.S. port of entry. What to do? First, it’s important to understand that green card renewal from outside the U.S. is not an option. You’ll need to be physically inside the United States to renew a green card.

However, there are solutions to get you home. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS) does not support green card renewal from outside the U.S., but there are various ways to return to the United States after temporary travel abroad. Each depends on your specific situation.

Continue reading →

Employment or School Abroad as a Green Card Holder

Green Card, Maintain GC, Working in the U.S., , ,
Working Abroad as a Green Card Holder

As the name suggests, permanent residence implies that the green card holder will live permanently in the United States. But what if a unique opportunity arises to work or study outside the United States? Generally, a permanent resident is free to travel outside the United States, provided that the absence is temporary in nature. But employment and study opportunities abroad can be problematic. Studying or working abroad as a green card holder can lead to immigration problems.

When a permanent resident remains outside the United States for an extended period, it can lead to suspicion that he or she has abandoned residence in the U.S. But time abroad isn’t the only factor to consider. Continue reading →

Green Card Abandonment: Risks of Travel Abroad

Green Card, Maintain GC, Travel Documents, , ,

green card abandonmentThere are several ways that you can lose your status as a lawful permanent resident. One of the most common ways is through unintentional green card abandonment. Permanent residents may travel outside the United States. Vacation, family engagements, tourism, business are all legitimate reasons for temporary travel abroad. However, permanent residents who are absent from the United States for extended periods of time risk abandoning their permanent resident status.

In fact, the risk of green card abandonment is real for any permanent resident whose travel is not temporary in nature. Each year, many green card holders returning from trips abroad find themselves in jeopardy of losing their status because their trips are not clearly temporary in nature. Continue reading →

Travel Abroad Affects N-400 Citizenship Eligibility

Citizenship, Path to Citizenship, Travel Documents, , ,

Travel Abroad Affects N-400 Eligibility for us citizenshipWhen applying for U.S. citizenship via naturalization, English and civics tests get much of the attention. But permanent residents often do not understand how travel abroad can affect their eligibility for naturalization.

Two related but separate requirements, continuous residence and physical presence, must be satisfied for one to be eligible to file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Excessive travel abroad can adversely affect eligibility. Excessive travel can include one long trip or the accumulation of several trips over the period that precedes your admission as a U.S. citizen. Continue reading →

Lost Green Card Abroad and Returning to the U.S.

Green Card, Maintain GC, Travel Documents, ,

lost green card abroad with travelingYour lost green card abroad can be a travel headache. But if you’ve lost your green card or reentry permit while outside the United States, there’s a process to help you obtain travel documentation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation), a form that allows permanent residents to apply for a travel document (carrier documentation) if they:

  • Are returning from temporary overseas travel of less than one year, and their green card has been lost, stolen or destroyed, or
  • Are returning from temporary overseas travel of less than two years, and their reentry permit has been lost, stolen or destroyed.

U.S. laws require transportation carriers such as airlines to check passengers for passports and visa before bringing them to the United States. In fact, these laws impose penalties if passengers are not in possession of the required documents. Continue reading →

Reentry Permit for Permanent Residents

Green Card, Maintain GC, Travel Documents,

CBP inspects reentry permit for permanent residentA permanent resident can generally travel outside the United States and return by simply showing a permanent resident card (green card) upon reentry at a U.S. port of entry.

But there are situations that a reentry permit is needed in addition to the permanent resident card.

A reentry permit can help avoid two types of problems:

  • Your permanent resident card becomes technically invalid for reentry into the United States if you are absent from the U.S. for one year or more.
  • Your permanent resident status may be considered as abandoned for absences shorter than one year if you take up residence in another country.

After traveling abroad, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at your U.S. port of entry will need to determine if your travel was “temporary” in nature. To be temporary, you must have the intention to return to the United States at the time of departure and throughout the entire trip. Employment, family, filing of taxes, involvement in the community all demonstrate ties to the U.S. To determine your intentions, some of the questions that a CBP officer may ask cover topics such as: Continue reading →

Risks of International Green Card Travel

Green Card, Maintain GC, Travel Documents, , , , ,

5 Green Card Travel Tips to Avoid Re-Entry Problems
and Permanent Residence Abandonment

international green card travel with re-entry PermitAs a lawful permanent resident of the United States, your obligations for maintaining your immigration status in the United States are fairly simple. You need to notify USCIS within 10 days of moving by using Form AR-11 and renew your green card every 10 years with Form I-90. International green card travel can introduce some new hazards.

Permanent residents are free to travel outside the United States, and temporary travel generally does not affect your permanent resident status. As the term “resident” suggests, your status comes with the expectation that you will live (make your home) in the U.S. If you spend too much time abroad, you could lose your right to a green card.

Here are five tips to understand before traveling abroad: Continue reading →