Can an immigrant visa holder travel back to home country before he/she receives a green card?

[kemalali15@gmail. 2]

Can an immigrant visa holder return back  from US to home country after he/she pays USCIS but before he/she receives a green card?

 

Meanwhile, would USCIS still count the waiting time for receiving the green card whille he/ she still in home country?

[mam521 2,103]

For a visit, yes.  But to live, no.  The expectation is when one receives a green card, be it the temporary I-551 in their passport or their physical card, they are to enter the US to become permanent residents of the United States. TIme spent away, irrespective of physical green card in hand, is still time away and impacts that residency status. 

 

If there is some compelling reason a permanent resident must be outside of the US for an extended period of time, they must apply and be approved for a reentry permit. 

[kemalali15@gmail. 2]

1 minute ago, mam521 said:

For a visit, yes.  But to live, no.  The expectation is when one receives a green card, be it the temporary I-551 in their passport or their physical card, they are to enter the US to become permanent residents of the United States. TIme spent away, irrespective of physical green card in hand, is still time away and impacts that residency status. 

 

If there is some compelling reason a permanent resident must be outside of the US for an extended period of time, they must apply and be approved for a reentry permit. 

The question was for a person who just got an immigrant visa and required to pay USCIS so that he/she will get a Green card . Usually the green card may take up to 3 months to be issued. So the person want to travel to US and pay USCIS but he want to go back to home country instead of waiting the green card to be issued.

[mam521 2,103]

3 minutes ago, kemalali15@gmail. said:

The question was for a person who just got an immigrant visa and required to pay USCIS so that he/she will get a Green card . Usually the green card may take up to 3 months to be issued. So the person want to travel to US and pay USCIS but he want to go back to home country instead of waiting the green card to be issued.

And the answer is the I-551 temporary green card in one's passport serves as their green card until the physical green card is issued.  So, yes, one can travel to visit.  

[Crazy Cat 41,980]

27 minutes ago, kemalali15@gmail. said:

Meanwhile, would USCIS still count the waiting time for receiving the green card whille he/ she still in home country?

What does that even mean? 

[powerpuff 6,729]

~~ Topic moved from CR1/IR1 forum to Working & Traveling during US Immigration ~~

[Dashinka 24,592]

1 hour ago, kemalali15@gmail. said:

Can an immigrant visa holder return back  from US to home country after he/she pays USCIS but before he/she receives a green card?

 

Meanwhile, would USCIS still count the waiting time for receiving the green card whille he/ she still in home country?

The minute after CBP stamps your passport with the valid immigration visa, you are an LPR (i.e. this does not start when you receive you physical card).  As @mam521 stated, the CBP endorsed immigration visa will serve as a temporary proof of LPR status (green card) allowing you to travel outside of the US and re-enter along the requirements of an LPR.

[kemalali15@gmail. 2]

12 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

What does that even mean? 

The rule of USCIS states that after someone get an immigrant VISA on his passport, he/she must travel to USA to get the physical greencard regardless of whether the payment to USCIS to get the physical greencard was made before/after traveling to US.... That physical greencard needs upto 90days to be delivered to the Immigrant through mail..So my question was,  after an immigrant travel to US but if he/she want to travel back to home country before he gets the physical greencard, would USCIS still process the physical greencard as if the person is still in US?

[Just Paul 4,595]

You are lucky to get a green card within 90 days.   

You can travel on the Visa stamp for the first year.   Mary and I went back to Mexico a few times before she got her card.  No problems.

[nastra30 2,288]

5 hours ago, kemalali15@gmail. said:

The rule of USCIS states that after someone get an immigrant VISA on his passport, he/she must travel to USA to get the physical greencard regardless of whether the payment to USCIS to get the physical greencard was made before/after traveling to US.... That physical greencard needs upto 90days to be delivered to the Immigrant through mail..So my question was,  after an immigrant travel to US but if he/she want to travel back to home country before he gets the physical greencard, would USCIS still process the physical greencard as if the person is still in US?

Yes as long as you've the immigrant fee. 

[Mike E 11,740]

9 hours ago, kemalali15@gmail. said:

So my question was,  after an immigrant travel to US but if he/she want to travel back to home country before he gets the physical greencard, would USCIS still process the physical greencard as if the person is still in US

Yes