Permanent residents are free to travel outside the United States.
Documents to travel
Generally for international travels, the Permanent Resident needs to present:
- A valid unexpired Permanent Resident Card;
- Any other identity documents: a passport from his/her country of citizenship; a foreign national I.D. card or a U.S. driver’s license.
Consequences of trips length
While brief trips abroad generally are not problematic, absence from the U.S. for more than a year may result in the finding that the Permanent Resident has abandoned his/her permanent resident status as he/she did not intend to make the U.S. his/her permanent residence.
The immigration officer may consider various criteria to determine whether the Permanent Resident has abandoned his/her status such as:
- the purpose of the trip outside the U.S.,
- U.S. family and community ties,
- existence of a U.S employment,
- filing of U.S. income taxes as a resident,
- or otherwise intention to return to the U.S. as the permanent home, among others.
If a Permanent Resident plans on being absent from the U.S. for longer than a year, it is advisable to:
- apply for a reentry permit prior to leaving the U.S. Reentry Permits are valid for a two (2) year period from the date of issuance;
- file an Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes to preserve the continuous residency in the U.S. for naturalization purposes.
For more information contact us today to schedule a professional consultation with an Immigration Attorney. Call (305) 515-VISA (8472) or click here.