Want to go back to Singapore to work, but not sure about how it will affect my PR status here

[ATLR 2]

Hi Vjers,

I have a dilemma and hope to gain some advice. We've been married for almost a year and I have difficulty adapting to life in Miami - especially with finding a job and I don't drive, never have to, until I move here and realize that the public transport system here is a joke. I have a degree and have years of experience in logistics/supply chain, but I don't speak Spanish. It's a huge thing to be able to speak Spanish here - in every work setting. And with the economy still in the slump, hubby and I is considering the option of me going back to my hometown, Singapore to work for a while till we decide on which other state or country to move.

Next year August, my 2 year conditional green card is expiring. So I would like to know what are the options and what can I do if I want to do a removal of condition of my green card? Will me being in Singapore affect my chance of getting a 10 year green card?

Advice and help on this will be very much appreciated.

[Anh map 2,098]

Do some reading here on VJ as this is a fairly popular topic. Also Google maintaining US residency to learn the requirements.

Short answer - GC holders are expected to live in the US, not use the GC to visit. A short ( up to a few months) trip out of country should not present a problem.

I understand the dynamics of Miami, but there are lots of places in the US with better public transport and less of a need for conversational Spanish. Do some travelling together to find an agreeable place for the both of you.

Best of luck

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Yes - leaving will affect you in some way.

Your suppose to stay in the US as an LPR, living outside of the US will negate that status.

If your going to be outside the US for more than a year - you would need to apply for a re-entry permit prior to leaving.

With that said - if you go to an interview for the ROC - they may question your leaving for an extended period of time - so that may affect the outcome.

Once you get the 10 yr card (if you do) - you would still be bound to living in the US (needing a re-entry permit for more than 1 yr outside) - You could apply for a 2 yr permit, but you will be expected to stay in the US after that time frame.

(meaning - you could lose LPR by staying out of the US for extended periods of time - could happen - never know)

Best suggestion is to stay in the US - get your 10yr card (and after 3 years) get your USC - then you can leave as you wish.

[ATLR 2]

Hi Bobby+Umit, I have no desire to become a citizen of US because Singapore does not allow dual citizenship and I have no intention of giving up my Singaporean citizenship. So can I just let my 2 years GC expire and then just come back to US as a tourist to visit my hubby during the holidays? Not sure what kind of implication I may face if I do that.

It is a pretty sad situation for us...but I am miserable here and we do not have the option of moving to to another state for the time being........

Yes - leaving will affect you in some way.

Your suppose to stay in the US as an LPR, living outside of the US will negate that status.

If your going to be outside the US for more than a year - you would need to apply for a re-entry permit prior to leaving.

With that said - if you go to an interview for the ROC - they may question your leaving for an extended period of time - so that may affect the outcome.

Once you get the 10 yr card (if you do) - you would still be bound to living in the US (needing a re-entry permit for more than 1 yr outside) - You could apply for a 2 yr permit, but you will be expected to stay in the US after that time frame.

(meaning - you could lose LPR by staying out of the US for extended periods of time - could happen - never know)

Best suggestion is to stay in the US - get your 10yr card (and after 3 years) get your USC - then you can leave as you wish.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Hi Bobby+Umit, I have no desire to become a citizen of US because Singapore does not allow dual citizenship and I have no intention of giving up my Singaporean citizenship. So can I just let my 2 years GC expire and then just come back to US as a tourist to visit my hubby during the holidays? Not sure what kind of implication I may face if I do that.

It is a pretty sad situation for us...but I am miserable here and we do not have the option of moving to to another state for the time being........

Only you can determine on what you want to do.

If give up LPR - then you would have to really prove your intent when you visit. (as in, show strong ties back home) - since your married to an USC and not a LPR.

Again, I would not recommend that course of action.

You may want to consider this:

Under Singaporean law, an individual who automatically acquires Singaporean citizenship at birth retains that status even after acquiring U.S. citizenship. Singapore does not recognize dual nationality beyond the age of 21.

Source

[Otto 83]

** Topic may be more appropriate in "Working & Traveling During US Immigration" (rather than AOS/Family-based); moving thread there.

[caly 48]

Hi ATLR,

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble adjusting to life in the US. You mentioned that you have trouble finding a job there, I'm not sure how old you are but if your husband makes enough to support your family on his own, maybe you can look at other avenues like furthering your studies to tide you over this trying time?

As Bobby+Umit has pointed out, the US embassy in Singapore's website does say that as long as you were born a Singapore citizen, you retain that status even after you obtain US citizenship. It is my understanding that some countries require that you renounce your citizenship when you become a citizen of another country, but I do not believe this to be the case here. However... this seems to be a fuzzy area at best as our Singapore government does not seem to have an explicit stand one way or the other that I have been able to find.

Perhaps this simply means that your US citizenship and its accompanying benefits will not be recognized in Singapore, but I doubt (I could be interpreting it wrongly though!) it means that you will be automatically stripped of your Singapore citizenship once you become a US citizen.

Like you, I decided a long time ago that I don't want to deal with all the legal issues, so I don't intend to obtain US citizenship in the future either. But since you are obviously struggling with life in the US, you might want to consult an immigration attorney and pursue the dual citizenship option further?

As others have stated, the greencard will not permit you to leave the US for extended periods of time for work.

Good luck!

Edited March 4, 2011 by caly

[Merrytooth 5,748]

Singapore doesn't allow dual citizenship.

When the time to renew your Singapore passport, the application form has a declaration where you need to declare if you have acquired the citizenship of another country or not.

PART II – DECLARATION AND CONSENT

I declare that:

a) The particulars and information, including documents, furnished by me in respect of this application are true and correct to the

best of my knowledge and belief, and that I have not wilfully suppressed any material fact.

b) I am/The child is* a citizen of Singapore.

c) I/The child* have/have not/has/has not* acquired the citizenship of another country.

If you lie on that question and are found out, well, it might not be good if you are forced to renounce one citizenship or the other.

Maybe in the future, Singapore will allow dual citizenship.

I'm sorry about your current situation. US economy is still not good, with high unemployment rate. I hate driving but forced to do so because public transport system is bad. It is even worse to drive during snowing.

You could turn in your green card at the US Embassy in Singapore (I saw people doing that during my visits to US Embassy for visa interviews).

Then apply for spouse visa when you are ready to settle back in US.

You might to look at this link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/265310-abandonment-of-green-card/

especially what Just Bob said about "She entered as participant with the VWP, which strictly is not allowed, as she was a resident before." You might need to apply for B2 tourist visa instead of using VWP when visit your hubby during the holidays.

SB-1 "Returning Resident Visa."

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1333.html#step1

Best wishes for whatever decision you have made

[caly 48]

Singapore doesn't allow dual citizenship.

When the time to renew your Singapore passport, the application form has a declaration where you need to declare if you have acquired the citizenship of another country or not.

PART II – DECLARATION AND CONSENT

I declare that:

a) The particulars and information, including documents, furnished by me in respect of this application are true and correct to the

best of my knowledge and belief, and that I have not wilfully suppressed any material fact.

b) I am/The child is* a citizen of Singapore.

c) I/The child* have/have not/has/has not* acquired the citizenship of another country.

If you lie on that question and are found out, well, it might not be good if you are forced to renounce one citizenship or the other.

Good to know. I stand corrected.

[ATLR 2]

Hi Merrytooth, thanks for the link. We've decided that I will go back to SG in May, book my ticket already. He will join me in SG permanently a couple of years later when our domestic affairs in Miami is all settle. All the better that he will move to SG because he likes it there, Miami is kind of a dead end for both of us, personally and career wise. We've read that it is advisable to get the I-131 now and surrender my GC when the reentry permit is expiring. Base on the time frame, my husband will be in SG by then, we will go through DCF then. It's going to be harder this way, but we can't find any alternative because right now we can't afford to move to another state, I can't afford to let my work CV to be blank for a long period and I got a very sick grandmother at home now.

I've tried to look in the forums, but couldn't seems to get any answer. Do you know usually how long it will take for the I-131 (reentry permit) to get approve? For the most part I've read, it is usually ties together with the I-485 application, so not sure is there a difference of time frame between an actual GC holder and someone who is still on the process of applying their GC? Your help and advice is very much appreciated.

rgds,

ATLR

Singapore doesn't allow dual citizenship.

When the time to renew your Singapore passport, the application form has a declaration where you need to declare if you have acquired the citizenship of another country or not.

PART II – DECLARATION AND CONSENT

I declare that:

a) The particulars and information, including documents, furnished by me in respect of this application are true and correct to the

best of my knowledge and belief, and that I have not wilfully suppressed any material fact.

b) I am/The child is* a citizen of Singapore.

c) I/The child* have/have not/has/has not* acquired the citizenship of another country.

If you lie on that question and are found out, well, it might not be good if you are forced to renounce one citizenship or the other.

Maybe in the future, Singapore will allow dual citizenship.

I'm sorry about your current situation. US economy is still not good, with high unemployment rate. I hate driving but forced to do so because public transport system is bad. It is even worse to drive during snowing.

You could turn in your green card at the US Embassy in Singapore (I saw people doing that during my visits to US Embassy for visa interviews).

Then apply for spouse visa when you are ready to settle back in US.

You might to look at this link:

http://www.visajourn...-of-green-card/

especially what Just Bob said about "She entered as participant with the VWP, which strictly is not allowed, as she was a resident before." You might need to apply for B2 tourist visa instead of using VWP when visit your hubby during the holidays.

SB-1 "Returning Resident Visa."

http://travel.state....1333.html#step1

Best wishes for whatever decision you have made

[Merrytooth 5,748]

ATLR,

This link is similar to your situation, about leaving US with conditional green card:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/244539-on-conditional-green-card-leaving-for-work-opportunities-abroad/

For the I-131 re-entry_permits processing time, I could mostly find the time frame is roughly 3 months (according to the California Service Center, Nebraska Service Center, Texas Service Center USCIS website).

Also, you may have the USCIS to mail the re-entry permit to US Embassy in Singapore then you pick it up from there, but you must make sure you have enough time before departing US to do the biometrics for the I-131 re-entry permit.

Maybe do a walk-in biometrics at the local USCIS field office once you get the Biometric Appointment letter? Or ask for I-131 expedite request, since you are going back to SG in May, the timing seems a bit tight for you. The instructions for requesting an expedited application are on the I-131 Instructions.

Read this link about I-131 reentry_permits and biometric issue:

http://www.philadelphiaimmigrationlawyerblog.com/2008/07/i131_reentry_permits_and_biome.html

This is an interesting blog to read about lesson applying for I-131.

http://nobym.blogspot.com/2008/05/lessons-learned-when-applying-for-i-131.html

Regards,

Merrytooth

Edited March 8, 2011 by Merrytooth