How do you keep GC?

[Amy Suzuki 0]

Hello all,

 

My husband is an American and we’ve been married since Dec29th 2016. I recently moved to the States and got my GC in April 27th 2019. I have my family back in Canada.

My husband is thinking to go to school in Canada for 4years and I want to go with him. How can I still keep my GC? 

I would be greatly thankful if you could help me...Thank you!

[Mollie09 1,543]

3 minutes ago, Amy Suzuki said:

Hello all,

 

My husband is an American and we’ve been married since Dec29th 2016. I recently moved to the States and got my GC in April 27th 2019. I have my family back in Canada.

My husband is thinking to go to school in Canada for 4years and I want to go with him. How can I still keep my GC? 

I would be greatly thankful if you could help me...Thank you!

If you move to Canada you can't keep your GC. If you want to go with him you can give up your green card and reapply when you're ready to move back, or you can stay in the US and visit him in Canada.

[Boiler 43,434]

By staying in the US and residing in the US.

[Going through 5,668]

9 minutes ago, Amy Suzuki said:

My husband is thinking to go to school in Canada for 4years and I want to go with him. How can I still keep my GC? 

You can't.

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Like others have said, you can relinquish your GC and apply again later... remain in the US and just visit him. Leaving to go live in Canada, or any other country, for extended periods of time can always jeopardize your LPR status. Whole point of being an LPR is to be a permanent resident of the US, meaning live here. So see if your husband really has to go to school in Canada or not, and then make a decision based on what's best for you. 

[Amy Suzuki 0]

Thank you guys for replying!

Hmm my parents friend’s friend has GC but he mostly lives in Japan. And I heard that if he come back to US(within a year) and stay for 2weeks or so, he can still keep his GC and still stay in Japan. 

Is that true??

[Boiler 43,434]

2 minutes ago, Amy Suzuki said:

Thank you guys for replying!

Hmm my parents friend’s friend has GC but he mostly lives in Japan. And I heard that if he come back to US(within a year) and stay for 2weeks or so, he can still keep his GC and still stay in Japan. 

Is that true??

No

 

Bit like speeding, can you break the speed limit and not get a ticket,

Edited May 10, 2019 by Boiler

[Going through 5,668]

9 minutes ago, Amy Suzuki said:

Thank you guys for replying!

Hmm my parents friend’s friend has GC but he mostly lives in Japan. And I heard that if he come back to US(within a year) and stay for 2weeks or so, he can still keep his GC and still stay in Japan. 

Is that true??

No it's not true.

Your friend of a friend of a friend is very lucky that he's gotten away with it so far.  Next time he may be refused entry into the US or worse....ends up infront of an immigration judge/with GC revoked.

A green card is not a glorified tourist visa....although of course you're free to do what you wish, despite any advice received here.

 

Not to mention, hearsay is never entirely 100% accurate without all the details from your parents' friend's friend...so don't take what you've heard to heart, is my point. Old wives tales always abound with immigration experiences as reported by friends of friends...of friends.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Going through

[payxibka 10,044]

6 minutes ago, Amy Suzuki said:

Thank you guys for replying!

Hmm my parents friend’s friend has GC but he mostly lives in Japan. And I heard that if he come back to US(within a year) and stay for 2weeks or so, he can still keep his GC and still stay in Japan. 

Is that true??

The pattern of quick step ins will likely be an issue at some point 

[mmsk 9]

There are 2 options:

 

1)

A) Apply for a re entry permit using form I-131. It costs around $660. In the form, mention the reason that you are joining your husband because he wants to attend a university in Canada. If you have 10 years green card, you will be likely approved for 2 years re entry permit.  Before the the 2 years end, come back to the states and apply for another re entry permit and pay the fee again. Most likely you will approved for another 2 years so the total is 4 years. This option will delay your citizenship process if you are thinking of getting one.

 

B) If you don’t have 10 years green card, the re entry permit will be valid until your conditional green card expire. Then you have to come back to the states to remove the condition. After removing the condition and get 10 years green card, you will be eligible to apply for re entry permit which hopefully will be valid for 2 years at that time.

 

2) Return your green card and start over again after you decide to move back to the states permanently. 

 

I highly recommend to avoid coming back every year or 6 months to maintain your status. There is a legal way to maintain your status while you are abroad which is getting re entry permit.

 

If I’m in your situation, I will go with the 1st option because start over the process again is a nightmare due to the delay in these days.

 

Good Luck

[carmel34 3,531]

If you go with him to Canada to live for 4 years, your LPR status will end and the green card will be invalid.  To return to the US your husband will have to file another petition for you and you'll go through the immigration process all over again.  I first filed a petition for my spouse and four kids when I moved from Canada to the US for grad school, then after three years I took a job back in Canada so we all moved back for three more years.  Then we decided to move back to the US, so I had to file petitions for my spouse and four kids again.  We returned to the US and never left.  The wife and kids eventually naturalized, so now they're dual citizens like me.  This was a few years ago when the immigration process was faster for spouses of US citizens.  If you plan on returning to the US after four years in Canada with your husband, I would suggest that you stay in the US for some of the time, and get re-entry permits, making sure that you follow the rules so that you can maintain your LPR status and won't have to re-do the immigration process since it takes so long these days.  Good luck!

[Amy Suzuki 0]

Thank you guys for all the help!! I really appreciate it:))! Thanks. 

[Going through 5,668]

4 hours ago, Amy Suzuki said:

Thank you guys for all the help!! I really appreciate it:))! Thanks. 

What did you decide on doing, in the end?