Filing I-130 after previously abandoning green card

[USbound22 3]

Hello,

I am a German citizen, my husband is an American. We have lived in the US from 2008-2014 and have done the green card process successfully before.

We returned to Germany in 2014 with the intent to stay here, so I gave up my green card in 2018 using form i-407 because I obviously didn't live in the US anymore and we couldn't afford to pay the re-entry fee each time we visited my husband's family in the US.

Now everything has changed and we are planning on moving back to the US. Never thought this would happen, but, oh well.... life is life.

 

Has anyone in this forum done the same thing, reapplied for a green card after giving it up? 

 

Here's my question:

We are currently filling out form I-130 and are asked under part 4 question 1 to give my Alien-Registration number (if any).

Do I put down my previous A-number?

 

Thanks in advance.

We are also hoping to file with DCF in Frankfurt but not getting our hopes up.

 

Dorothea

[SteveInBostonI130 3,319]

Yes.  The A number and your previous Social Security number are assigned to you for life.

[USbound22 3]

Thank you so much!

[Dashinka 23,274]

Let us know how the DCF request goes.  I read a recent thread regarding someone from Japan going through DCF, it still happens albeit much less often now days.

 

Good Luck!

[USbound22 3]

Will do.

[Lil bear 3,840]

3 hours ago, USbound22 said:

Hello,

I am a German citizen, my husband is an American. We have lived in the US from 2008-2014 and have done the green card process successfully before.

We returned to Germany in 2014 with the intent to stay here, so I gave up my green card in 2018 using form i-407 because I obviously didn't live in the US anymore and we couldn't afford to pay the re-entry fee each time we visited my husband's family in the US.

Now everything has changed and we are planning on moving back to the US. Never thought this would happen, but, oh well.... life is life.

 

Has anyone in this forum done the same thing, reapplied for a green card after giving it up? 

 

Here's my question:

We are currently filling out form I-130 and are asked under part 4 question 1 to give my Alien-Registration number (if any).

Do I put down my previous A-number?

 

Thanks in advance.

We are also hoping to file with DCF in Frankfurt but not getting our hopes up.

 

Dorothea

We surrendered GC in 1992 and applied for IR5 in  2015. No issues at all. 
Yes put down your previous A number 

 

[Lil bear 3,840]

3 hours ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Yes.  The A number and your previous Social Security number are assigned to you for life.

We did get assigned  a different A# second time   

[carmel34 3,531]

6 hours ago, USbound22 said:

Has anyone in this forum done the same thing, reapplied for a green card after giving it up? 

Yes, I have done this and it worked just fine, although that was many years ago when DCF was routinely approved so it only took a few months from filing the I-130s to the medical and visa interview.  We were only outside the US for three years.  I remember giving the green cards (for my wife and kids) to the officer at the Vancouver consulate during the interview.  You won't have any issues except for the long 1-2 year wait these days.  Maybe DCF will be accepted by Frankfurt if you have a job offer in the US, with a sense of urgency.  Good luck!

Edited February 8, 2022 by carmel34

[USbound22 3]

Thanks everyone, this helps a lot. 

Another question: In The i-130 form there is a section in which my husband is asked whether he has filed a petition for someone before (yes), if it was approved/rejected (qpproved) and the date it was filed.

Unfortunately I have not kept my paperwork from 2008 so I have no clue what the exact date was the first time we filed the i-130. I know when we entered the US because it was our anniversary, but no other date.

Will this be a problem?

I'm kicking myself for not keeping these records. They were on an old hard drive which doesn't work anymore.

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by USbound22

[Lil bear 3,840]

30 minutes ago, USbound22 said:

Thanks everyone, this helps a lot. 

Another question: In The i-130 form there is a section in which my husband is asked whether he has filed a petition for someone before (yes), if it was approved/rejected (qpproved) and the date it was filed.

Unfortunately I have not kept my paperwork from 2008 so I have no clue what the exact date was the first time we filed the i-130. I know when we entered the US because it was our anniversary, but no other date.

Will this be a problem?

I'm kicking myself for not keeping these records. They were on an old hard drive which doesn't work anymore.

 

Just put what you know .. year only, month and year if you know it .. we only had the year it was filed,  as it was a work based visa the first time.  

[StrawberryKiss 170]

12 hours ago, USbound22 said:

Hello,

I am a German citizen, my husband is an American. We have lived in the US from 2008-2014 and have done the green card process successfully before.

We returned to Germany in 2014 with the intent to stay here, so I gave up my green card in 2018 using form i-407 because I obviously didn't live in the US anymore and we couldn't afford to pay the re-entry fee each time we visited my husband's family in the US.

Now everything has changed and we are planning on moving back to the US. Never thought this would happen, but, oh well.... life is life.

 

Has anyone in this forum done the same thing, reapplied for a green card after giving it up? 

 

Here's my question:

We are currently filling out form I-130 and are asked under part 4 question 1 to give my Alien-Registration number (if any).

Do I put down my previous A-number?

 

Thanks in advance.

We are also hoping to file with DCF in Frankfurt but not getting our hopes up.

 

Dorothea

Yup. Exact same situation. Just completed the visa process last year and moved back stateside last month. Not a problem whatsoever. The CO simply asked me during the interview why I had abandoned my LPR status and so did CPB at my POE because they also saw my old visa in my passport (it’s still the same, had it for 9 years now). Your A-number should still be the same because mine hasn’t changed. 
And I believe we also put a date down for the first petition that we kinda guesstimated. We remembered the month and year, but not the exact date. Don’t worry, it’ll all work out just fine  Good luck! 

[iwannaplay54 985]

14 hours ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Yes.  The A number and your previous Social Security number are assigned to you for life.

Incorrect
 

The new IV assigns a new A number

Add to that, even an SB1 assigns a new A number.  We have had (3) different numbers, which made for an exciting N-400 interview LOL

Edited February 9, 2022 by iwannaplay54

[iwannaplay54 985]

15 hours ago, USbound22 said:

Hello,

I am a German citizen, my husband is an American. We have lived in the US from 2008-2014 and have done the green card process successfully before.

We returned to Germany in 2014 with the intent to stay here, so I gave up my green card in 2018 using form i-407 because I obviously didn't live in the US anymore and we couldn't afford to pay the re-entry fee each time we visited my husband's family in the US.

Now everything has changed and we are planning on moving back to the US. Never thought this would happen, but, oh well.... life is life.

 

Has anyone in this forum done the same thing, reapplied for a green card after giving it up? 

 

Here's my question:

We are currently filling out form I-130 and are asked under part 4 question 1 to give my Alien-Registration number (if any).

Do I put down my previous A-number?

 

Thanks in advance.

We are also hoping to file with DCF in Frankfurt but not getting our hopes up.

 

Dorothea

We did in 2011.  I did put the previous A number on the petition, I did say I had previously sponsored my wife.

We were assigned new A number on the IV and the green card she got had a different number than the original card.

[StrawberryKiss 170]

22 hours ago, iwannaplay54 said:

We did in 2011.  I did put the previous A number on the petition, I did say I had previously sponsored my wife.

We were assigned new A number on the IV and the green card she got had a different number than the original card.

Interesting because my A-number stayed the same. I wonder if they maybe assign new A-numbers if the visa category changes, i.e. coming to the US on a K1-Visa the first time, then on a spousal visa the second time 

[iwannaplay54 985]

20 minutes ago, StrawberryKiss said:

Interesting because my A-number stayed the same. I wonder if they maybe assign new A-numbers if the visa category changes, i.e. coming to the US on a K1-Visa the first time, then on a spousal visa the second time 

Might be the case.  Original visa was a K3 but essentially the same non-immigrant class as a K1.
 

The SB1 A number was a speedbump in the N-400 because the IO returned the green card with one A number back to her at the airport three years ago but the USCIS account was under the SB1 visa A number she returned under.  Took a bit of time to find the file on interview day but luckily the officer had it.

Officer said they should have entered her under the green card number not the visa, error at POA

Edited February 10, 2022 by iwannaplay54