Moving back to Europe for awhile...What is the procedure

[flattop 0]

I have a 10 year greencard that is valid until Dec 2017 .

Anyway due to a number of reasons,(family illness abroad and lack of work here in the US) me and my US citizen wife and child are thinking of moving back to Ireland for awhile.

We are going to rent out our house here in the States in the meantime as we intend to return when the time is right.

What exactly is the procedure to do this and not lose my Greencard?

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

When you say you will move back "for a while", do you have any idea how long for? If you are staying out for longer than a year, you will need to request a re-entry permit. These are usually granted, but after 2 years you may need to move back if you do not want to loose your green card. Another option would be to let the green card go and then re-apply with DCF when you are ready to move back; it's an easy and quick process (see my timeline).

[flattop 0]

When you say you will move back "for a while", do you have any idea how long for? If you are staying out for longer than a year, you will need to request a re-entry permit. These are usually granted, but after 2 years you may need to move back if you do not want to loose your green card. Another option would be to let the green card go and then re-apply with DCF when you are ready to move back; it's an easy and quick process (see my timeline).

Awhile could be anything!As long as it takes.It definitely could be a few years though.

Did you have a greencard before? and then moved back here and re-applied with DCF?

So what happens if I come back to visit family here once a year.Do I enter as a tourist?

Edited August 26, 2009 by flattop

[familyguy 2]

When you say you will move back "for a while", do you have any idea how long for? If you are staying out for longer than a year, you will need to request a re-entry permit. These are usually granted, but after 2 years you may need to move back if you do not want to loose your green card. Another option would be to let the green card go and then re-apply with DCF when you are ready to move back; it's an easy and quick process (see my timeline).

Awhile could be anything!As long as it takes.It definitely could be a few years though.

Did you have a greencard before? and then moved back here and re-applied with DCF?

So what happens if I come back to visit family here once a year.Do I enter as a tourist?

Have you considered applying for citizenship?

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

I myself am a new immigrant, not a returning one. There are a couple of Irish DCFers who have posted here in the past who are/ will be returning immigrants though, and none have had problems getting a second visa- if anything it is easier, because you already know the process and hot to fill out the paperwork.

I believe (not 100% sure) that once you have had an immigrant visa like you did, you cannot enter on the Visa Waiver Program, so you would need to apply for a tourist (B) visa to visit friends and family in the USA, but those are easy to get and valid for 10 years.

[GabiandVi 34]

I've seen this sort of question before and no one ever confirms what I say, so maybe it isn't valid any longer, but I know quite a few people who have greencards for the US who do not live there and have not lived there for years and years. They have something called a "white passport." Their USC spouses work abroad. Right around 9/11 there was a lot of discussion about this because they were afraid that the white passports would no longer be recognized, but they haven't had any trouble.

Unfortunately, I cannot give you any specifics. But I know that there is, or at least there was a way to live abroad without losing your greencard. One of my very good friends has not lived in the US for at least 14 years and she still has her permanant residence. They return to the US for a couple of months every summer, though, and often times at Christmas as well.

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

White Passports are no longer given out.