REENTRY PERMITS
Reentry Permits
Under certain circumstances, lawful permanent residents (LPR) who leave the United States for long periods of time may lose their green card status. If an LPR is outside of the US for more than one year, the Department of Homeland Security takes the position that residency has been abandoned. However, LPR (green card) status may be abandoned even if an individual is outside the US for less than one year, where the individual lives and works abroad.
A re-entry permit allows permanent residents and conditional permanent residents to apply for admission to the U.S. without having to obtain a returning resident visa from an American Consulate.
The Shapiro Law Group helps individuals prepare and file Reentry Permit applications with USCIS, which if issued by USCIS, establish that permanent residency (green card) status is not abandoned by temporarily working and living outside of the US. Contact us today about your immigration needs.
Benefits of Re-entry Permit
- Employees do not have to obtain a visa from an American Consulate for returning to the U.S. after traveling abroad.
- Employees can remain outside the U.S. for the validity of the re-entry permit
Eligibility and Requirements
Employees should apply for a re-entry permit if you are:
- A legal permanent resident who wish to remain outside the US for more than one year
- A legal permanent resident who cannot get a national passport from their country of nationality (some countries accept a re-entry permit in lieu of a passport)
Note: Employees do not need a re-entry permit if they are leaving the country for less than one year. However, if they leave the country for more than one year, they will break the period of continuous residence that is required to become a citizen even if you get a re-entry permit.
