Can I Lose My Green Card If I Live Outside the U.S?
This past week as a Morristown, NJ Immigration Lawyer, I was consulted by an individual who was concerned because they have a Green Card. They have to travel very frequently and also have an ill parent in another country. They are planning on travelling and staying outside of the US for a number of months, possibly more than six months, and they were worried about losing their green card status. This is a very important question because when you are a Green Card holder there is definitely a residence requirement.
Download Our Free Immigration Guide
The technical residency requirement is that you cannot be outside of the US for more than twelve months without getting special permission. The truth is that many times if people are outside of the US as a Green Card holder for over six months, when they come into the airport, the inspectors in the airport give them a hard time because they suspect that they’re not maintaining their lawful permanent residence status. This is a very important issue and if you considering travelling and remaining outside the US for over six months, in particular over one year, definitely consult an immigration lawyer about getting a special permit to remain outside the US and not risk losing your Green Card status.
This informational blog post was brought to you by Susan Scheer, an experienced Morristown, New Jersey Green Card Immigration Lawyer.