GC residency requirement

[sendmailtojk]

Is it mandatory to spend [b]at least[b] 6 months residing in the US every calendar year after obtaining a GC?

[sunny1000]

Originally Posted by sendmailtojk

Is it mandatory to spend [b]at least[b] 6 months residing in the US every calendar year after obtaining a GC?

If your stay is less than 1 year abroad, you can reenter using just your green card. If you want to stay 1-2 years outside the U.S, you will have to apply for a reentry permit before departure. But, it will be considered as a break (i.e, more than 1 year abroad) in the continous residence requirement of 5 years when it comes to your naturalization application.

If you want to stay longer than that, you will have to apply for "returning resident permit" for which you need to prove that your intent is to be a permanent resident but, your stay abroad longer than the period of the reentry permit was beyond your control.

Please consult an attorney so that you don't lose your PR.

[Ann Ruben]

Any significant absence from the US can lead to a finding that one has abandoned permanent resident status. Such determinations are very fact specific. It is a commonly held myth that merely entering the US once a year is sufficient to maintain GC status. If you forsee spending significant time out of the US, you should take steps to protect your GC, such as filing for a re-entry permit. You should also consider maintaining ties to a home in the US.