Please Help

[uniquelyd 3]

Hello to everyone here,

It's been a long time since I been on this site but I wanted to say thank you again to all the people that have helped us in the past. Now to get to the issue, currently my wife has her green card and for the last 8 months she has been living in Istanbul with her parents taking care of them and supporting them. She didn't file any forms before leaving the country because we didn't expected the current situation to get out of hand to this current point. With out going into a large amount of detail, my wife is currently in a situation to where it has become almost impossible for her to get back to the states because no other family members will step up to take care of her parents while she is away. I read on the USCIS website that if you are out of the country for 1 year it will cause serious problems with re-entry and could even be considered abandonment. I am really hoping that it does not come to that point but currently I believe this situation is leading to the point in which my wife will be out of the country for over the 1 year time frame. If this happens, do you guys have any suggestions to prevent the loss of her Permanent Resident Card or any suggestions on what actions we should be taking now?

[milimelo 4,234]

Hello to everyone here,

It's been a long time since I been on this site but I wanted to say thank you again to all the people that have helped us in the past. Now to get to the issue, currently my wife has her green card and for the last 8 months she has been living in Istanbul with her parents taking care of them and supporting them. She didn't file any forms before leaving the country because we didn't expected the current situation to get out of hand to this current point. With out going into a large amount of detail, my wife is currently in a situation to where it has become almost impossible for her to get back to the states because no other family members will step up to take care of her parents while she is away. I read on the USCIS website that if you are out of the country for 1 year it will cause serious problems with re-entry and could even be considered abandonment. I am really hoping that it does not come to that point but currently I believe this situation is leading to the point in which my wife will be out of the country for over the 1 year time frame. If this happens, do you guys have any suggestions to prevent the loss of her Permanent Resident Card or any suggestions on what actions we should be taking now?

Look into the returning resident visa - she gets it from the US Embassy in Turkey.

[pushbrk 12,163]

Hello to everyone here,

It's been a long time since I been on this site but I wanted to say thank you again to all the people that have helped us in the past. Now to get to the issue, currently my wife has her green card and for the last 8 months she has been living in Istanbul with her parents taking care of them and supporting them. She didn't file any forms before leaving the country because we didn't expected the current situation to get out of hand to this current point. With out going into a large amount of detail, my wife is currently in a situation to where it has become almost impossible for her to get back to the states because no other family members will step up to take care of her parents while she is away. I read on the USCIS website that if you are out of the country for 1 year it will cause serious problems with re-entry and could even be considered abandonment. I am really hoping that it does not come to that point but currently I believe this situation is leading to the point in which my wife will be out of the country for over the 1 year time frame. If this happens, do you guys have any suggestions to prevent the loss of her Permanent Resident Card or any suggestions on what actions we should be taking now?

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60

[uniquelyd 3]

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60

Thanks for the help but the link you posted only gives me a blank page. I am really curious to read the information you found. Would you mind posting the link again or copying the content.

[milimelo 4,234]

This should help:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1333.html#applying

[/url]Overview - About Returning Resident Visas

A permanent resident (called lawful permanent resident or LPR) or conditional resident (CR) who has remained outside the U.S. for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, will require a new immigrant visa to enter the U.S. and resume permanent residence. A provision exists under U.S. visa law for the issuance of a returning resident special immigrant visa to an LPR who remained outside the U.S. due to circumstances beyond his/her control. This webpage is about Returning Resident Visas. If you are an LPR unable to return to the U.S. within the travel validity period of the green card (1 year) or the validity of the Re-entry Permit (2 years), you may be eligible and can apply at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa.

If your application for returning resident status is approved, this eliminates the requirement that an immigrant visa petition be filed on your behalf with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You will need to be interviewed for both your application for returning resident status, and usually later for the immigrant visa. An SB-1 applicant is required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and have a medical examination. Therefore, this involves paying both visa processing fees and medical fees.

Spouse or Child of a Member of the U.S. Armed Forces or Civilian Employee of the U.S. Government Stationed Abroad - If you are the spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or of a civilian employee of the U.S. Government stationed abroad on official orders, you may use your Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, to enter the U.S. even if it has expired. Therefore, you would not need a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, as long as you:

• Have not abandoned your LPR status; and
• Your spouse or parent is returning to the U.S.

Step 1 - Qualifying for Returning Resident Status

Under provisions of immigration law, to qualify for returning resident status, you will need to prove to the Consular Officer that you:

• Had the status of a lawful permanent resident at the time of departure from the U.S.;
• Departed from the U.S. with the intention of returning and have not abandoned this intention; and
• Are returning to the U.S. from a temporary visit abroad and, if the stay abroad was protracted, this was caused by reasons beyond your control and for which you were not responsible.

Applying for a Returning Resident Visa

If you wish to apply for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in advance of your intended travel (at least three months in advance, if possible) to permit sufficient time for visa processing. As part of the visa application process, an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate is required. Review country-specific instructions and information by reviewing the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will apply.

Required Documentation

When applying for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should submit the following forms and documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply:

• <LI sizset="135" sizcache="28">A completed Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117
• Your Permanent Resident Card, Form -551
• Your Re-entry Permit, if available

You must also submit supporting documents that show the following:

• Dates of travel outside of the U.S. (Examples: airline tickets, passport stamps, etc.)
• Proof of your ties to the U.S. and your intention to return (Examples: tax returns, and evidence of economic, family, and social ties to the U.S.)
• Proof that your protracted stay outside of the U.S. was for reasons beyond your control (Examples: medical incapacitation, employment with a U.S. company, accompanying a U.S. citizen spouse, etc.)

A Consular Officer will review your application and supporting documents to determine whether you meet the criteria for Returning Resident (SB-1) status. If you do, you must be eligible for the immigrant visa in all other respects in order to be issued a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa.

Required Fees

The following are the required fees:

• Application for Determining Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117. Select Fees for current Department of State fees.

Additionally, if you are approved for Returning Resident (SB-1) status, the following fees will be required based on the immigrant visa processing explained below:

• Form DS-230 application processing and security surcharge fees
• Medical exam and vaccination fees

Step 2 – Immigrant Visa Application and Documentation

The Embassy or Consulate will provide you with specific instructions for the remainder of the processing for your Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa. While exact instructions may vary by Embassy or Consulate, these instructions will include:

Before your interview:

• Instructions for your medical examination, including a list of required vaccinations

Instructions for your interview, including the following documentation to bring:

• <LI sizset="146" sizcache="28">Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part I and Part II
• Original passport;<LI sizset="147" sizcache="28">Two photographs, meeting photo guidelines
• A list of civil documents to bring to your immigrant visa interview, as requested by the Embassy or Consulate

Review country-specific instructions and further information by reviewing the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will apply.

If Your Application to Determine Returning Resident Status is Not Approved

If, after reviewing your Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117, and supporting documents, the Consular Officer determines that you do not meet the criteria for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa on the grounds that you have abandoned or relinquished your residence in the U.S., it may or may not be possible to obtain a nonimmigrant visa depending on whether you have established a residence abroad to which you will return. If you cannot submit convincing evidence of compelling ties abroad, you may have to apply for an immigrant visa on the same basis and under the same category by which you immigrated originally.

About International Travel and Permanent Residents

As a permanent resident, before you depart the U.S. for temporary travel abroad and then seek to return to the U.S., you should review important information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) websites. Learn about Travel Documents, including Re-Entry Permits and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, on the USCIS website. For information for permanent residents returning to the U.S. from travel abroad, review the CBP website.

Returning Legal Permanent Residents Who Obtained Such Status Based on Asylum Status - Asylum applicants, asylees, and lawful permanent residents who obtained such status based on their asylum status are subject to special rules with regard to traveling outside the U.S. For more information on obtaining proper documentation before you depart the U.S., see Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees on the USCIS website.

[uniquelyd 3]

This should help:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1333.html#applying

[/url]Overview - About Returning Resident Visas

A permanent resident (called lawful permanent resident or LPR) or conditional resident (CR) who has remained outside the U.S. for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, will require a new immigrant visa to enter the U.S. and resume permanent residence. A provision exists under U.S. visa law for the issuance of a returning resident special immigrant visa to an LPR who remained outside the U.S. due to circumstances beyond his/her control. This webpage is about Returning Resident Visas. If you are an LPR unable to return to the U.S. within the travel validity period of the green card (1 year) or the validity of the Re-entry Permit (2 years), you may be eligible and can apply at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa.

If your application for returning resident status is approved, this eliminates the requirement that an immigrant visa petition be filed on your behalf with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You will need to be interviewed for both your application for returning resident status, and usually later for the immigrant visa. An SB-1 applicant is required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and have a medical examination. Therefore, this involves paying both visa processing fees and medical fees.

Spouse or Child of a Member of the U.S. Armed Forces or Civilian Employee of the U.S. Government Stationed Abroad - If you are the spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or of a civilian employee of the U.S. Government stationed abroad on official orders, you may use your Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, to enter the U.S. even if it has expired. Therefore, you would not need a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, as long as you:

• Have not abandoned your LPR status; and
• Your spouse or parent is returning to the U.S.

Step 1 - Qualifying for Returning Resident Status

Under provisions of immigration law, to qualify for returning resident status, you will need to prove to the Consular Officer that you:

• Had the status of a lawful permanent resident at the time of departure from the U.S.;
• Departed from the U.S. with the intention of returning and have not abandoned this intention; and
• Are returning to the U.S. from a temporary visit abroad and, if the stay abroad was protracted, this was caused by reasons beyond your control and for which you were not responsible.

Applying for a Returning Resident Visa

If you wish to apply for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in advance of your intended travel (at least three months in advance, if possible) to permit sufficient time for visa processing. As part of the visa application process, an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate is required. Review country-specific instructions and information by reviewing the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will apply.

Required Documentation

When applying for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should submit the following forms and documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply:

• <LI sizset="135" sizcache="28">A completed Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117
• Your Permanent Resident Card, Form -551
• Your Re-entry Permit, if available

You must also submit supporting documents that show the following:

• Dates of travel outside of the U.S. (Examples: airline tickets, passport stamps, etc.)
• Proof of your ties to the U.S. and your intention to return (Examples: tax returns, and evidence of economic, family, and social ties to the U.S.)
• Proof that your protracted stay outside of the U.S. was for reasons beyond your control (Examples: medical incapacitation, employment with a U.S. company, accompanying a U.S. citizen spouse, etc.)

A Consular Officer will review your application and supporting documents to determine whether you meet the criteria for Returning Resident (SB-1) status. If you do, you must be eligible for the immigrant visa in all other respects in order to be issued a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa.

Required Fees

The following are the required fees:

• Application for Determining Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117. Select Fees for current Department of State fees.

Additionally, if you are approved for Returning Resident (SB-1) status, the following fees will be required based on the immigrant visa processing explained below:

• Form DS-230 application processing and security surcharge fees
• Medical exam and vaccination fees

Step 2 – Immigrant Visa Application and Documentation

The Embassy or Consulate will provide you with specific instructions for the remainder of the processing for your Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa. While exact instructions may vary by Embassy or Consulate, these instructions will include:

Before your interview:

• Instructions for your medical examination, including a list of required vaccinations

Instructions for your interview, including the following documentation to bring:

• <LI sizset="146" sizcache="28">Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part I and Part II
• Original passport;<LI sizset="147" sizcache="28">Two photographs, meeting photo guidelines
• A list of civil documents to bring to your immigrant visa interview, as requested by the Embassy or Consulate

Review country-specific instructions and further information by reviewing the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will apply.

If Your Application to Determine Returning Resident Status is Not Approved

If, after reviewing your Application to Determine Returning Resident Status, Form DS-117, and supporting documents, the Consular Officer determines that you do not meet the criteria for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa on the grounds that you have abandoned or relinquished your residence in the U.S., it may or may not be possible to obtain a nonimmigrant visa depending on whether you have established a residence abroad to which you will return. If you cannot submit convincing evidence of compelling ties abroad, you may have to apply for an immigrant visa on the same basis and under the same category by which you immigrated originally.

About International Travel and Permanent Residents

As a permanent resident, before you depart the U.S. for temporary travel abroad and then seek to return to the U.S., you should review important information on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) websites. Learn about Travel Documents, including Re-Entry Permits and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, on the USCIS website. For information for permanent residents returning to the U.S. from travel abroad, review the CBP website.

Returning Legal Permanent Residents Who Obtained Such Status Based on Asylum Status - Asylum applicants, asylees, and lawful permanent residents who obtained such status based on their asylum status are subject to special rules with regard to traveling outside the U.S. For more information on obtaining proper documentation before you depart the U.S., see Benefits and Responsibilities of Asylees on the USCIS website.

Thank You. This was a great help.

[pushbrk 12,163]

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60

Strange. Just Google "maintaining permanent resident status" and click on the USCIS link.

[Nataliya-Ron 7]

Thanks PUSHBRK

Good Luck

[Darnell 8,478]

*** not a K-3 visa topic - moving to 'Working & Traveling During US Immigration' forum ***

Edited January 13, 2011 by Darnell