Returning a Green Card.

[Katz 0]

Hi all,

I hope this is the correct place to ask this question. I hold a 10 year Green Card. I lived in the USA for almost four years, but two years ago I moved back home to Australia. My husband is a USC. He moved here to Australia last December and is a permanent resident... I want to give up my Green Card as I have NO intentions of ever moving back to the USA to live (loved living there, but I couldn't deal with the homesickness in the long term). Is there an official form to fill out and send to the USCIS? I've been back for almost 2 years now and I still have the card (haven't been back there since). If I give back the card, will I be able to enter the USA as easily as someone who has never held a green card? My hubby wants to visit family next year and I'd like to join him for a few weeks. Has anyone given up a green card and revisited the USA afterwards? Thank you.

[Hypnos 6,576]

You should file an I-407 (abandonment of permanent resident status) directly with the American post having jurisdiction over your place of residence.

It will neither help nor hinder you with regards to future entries to the US, you would need to meet the requirements for entry the same as anyone else.

[scienceworks 64]

Hi all,

I hope this is the correct place to ask this question. I hold a 10 year Green Card. I lived in the USA for almost four years, but two years ago I moved back home to Australia. My husband is a USC. He moved here to Australia last December and is a permanent resident... I want to give up my Green Card as I have NO intentions of ever moving back to the USA to live (loved living there, but I couldn't deal with the homesickness in the long term). Is there an official form to fill out and send to the USCIS? I've been back for almost 2 years now and I still have the card (haven't been back there since). If I give back the card, will I be able to enter the USA as easily as someone who has never held a green card? My hubby wants to visit family next year and I'd like to join him for a few weeks. Has anyone given up a green card and revisited the USA afterwards? Thank you.

My parents had greencards and like you they went back to India after spending few years. Since they spend more than an year outside US, they lost their residency. But my mom later applied for a visiting visa and during the interview, the IO asked if she is giving her greencard back. She said yes and he warned that she could never apply for an immigrant visa. She said that's fine and gave it back. And she got a 10 year visit visa. At the same time, my dad still has his.

Technically if you still have an greencard, you haven't officially abandoned ur intention to have permanent residency. One could always reinstate an unexpired green card, if you can prove that due to events beyond your control you couldn't keep the residency.

In your case, since you have no such plans, you can give back the GC. If you don't, during the visa interview, you need to give back even if they don't ask.

Edited July 5, 2013 by scienceworks