Can my time abroad count toward my permanent resident status? (2024)

FAQs

Can my time abroad count toward my permanent resident status? ›

Multiple extended absences

Traveling abroad will, in most cases, have little to no impact on your permanent resident status. That being said, your trip must be temporary, and you must have every intention of returning to the United States.

In some cases, time spent outside of Canada may count towards the 730-day residency requirement for Canadian PRs.

You can apply for a “Reentry Permit” (Form I-131) by mail through USCIS. If you are planning to be outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the Reentry Permit will avoid difficult questions at the border as you try to come back into the United States.

Yes, you can stay outside the U.S. for more than 6 months and less than one year with a green card, as long as you have applied for a reentry permit and have been given biometrics before you traveled.

Absences of more than 365 consecutive days

You must apply for a re-entry permit (Form I-131) before you leave the United States, or your permanent residence status will be considered abandoned. A re-entry permit enables you to be abroad for up to two years.

International Travel

Remaining outside the United States for more than one year may result in a loss of Lawful Permanent Resident status.

The physical presence requirement is set at half of the continuous residence period. Physical presence is a cumulative requirement; so you must combine each day that you were outside the United States. For example, an individual who made a 30-day trip and five 1-day trips would have been absent for a total of 35 days.

The question here is can I have permanent residency in more than one country? Yes. You can.

How do I maintain US residency while living abroad? ›

An absence of more than 6 months (more than 180 days) but less than 1 year (less than 365 days) during the period for which continuous residence is required (also called “the statutory period”) is presumed to break the continuity of such residence.

Receiving physical mail & packages

If you're expecting any important physical mail, maintaining a US address while living abroad can help ensure that nothing critical slips through the cracks.

If you stay outside of the United States for 1 year or more and did not apply for a reentry permit before you left, you may be considered to have abandoned your permanent resident status. If this happens, you may be referred to appear before an immigration judge to decide whether or not you have abandoned your status.

Green card holders can travel outside the U.S. for up to one year without affecting their status, but if they plan to remain outside the U.S. for more than one year, they must carry a valid re-entry permit and proof of their ties to the U.S. Applying for a re-entry permit before leaving the U.S. is crucial for green ...

Current regulations permit green card holders to leave and return to the United States multiple times per year: If you are a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), you may leave the U.S. multiple times and reenter, as long as you do not intend to stay outside the U.S. for 1 year or more.

An absence of more than 6 months (more than 180 days) but less than 1 year (less than 365 days) during the period for which continuous residence is required (also called “the statutory period”) is presumed to break the continuity of such residence.

Traveling Outside the U.S. While Your Application Is Pending

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) considers leaving the country while your application is still under review as abandoning it, resulting in immediate denial.

Yes, there are a number of reasons why someone with a U.S. green card may be denied entry into the United States after traveling abroad for an extended period of time (more than six months). These reasons include: Failing to maintain continuous residence in the United States.

A US green card not only lets you reside in the US but also provides you with VISA-FREE access to many countries and territories. Currently, there are about 38 VISA-FREE countries for US green card holders. A US green card is a pathway to a US passport.