Contractor Overseas With Spouse on Orders

[Whali 0]

Hello,

 

I'll be working overseas as a contractor soon.

 

My wife recently came to the US with me and got her greencard. We will be going to her home country and do not have time for a reentry permit.

I will have 700-19 orders and she will be on them. We called the immigration office on base and they said she will not be given a SOFA stamp because she already has a passport for that country.

 

I'm wondering the thing about working overseas applies to me being a contractor for the DOD and if it applies to her without getting a SOFA stamp, is having her name on the orders sufficient? We will not have time for her naturalization or reentry permit.

 

Spouse or Child of a Member of the U.S. Armed Forces or Civilian Employee of the U.S. Government Stationed Abroad - If you are the spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or of a civilian employee of the U.S. government stationed abroad on official orders, you may use your Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, to enter the United States even if it has expired. Therefore, you would not need a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, as long as you:

• Have not abandoned your LPR status; and
• Your spouse or parent is returning to the United States.

 

Does that apply to contractors as well or does it not matter as she will be on the 700-19?

 

 

Edited April 16 by Whali

[Boiler 43,479]

Best top check with JAG

[R&OC 349]

On 4/16/2024 at 2:34 AM, Whali said:

Hello,

 

I'll be working overseas as a contractor soon.

 

My wife recently came to the US with me and got her greencard. We will be going to her home country and do not have time for a reentry permit.

I will have 700-19 orders and she will be on them. We called the immigration office on base and they said she will not be given a SOFA stamp because she already has a passport for that country.

 

I'm wondering the thing about working overseas applies to me being a contractor for the DOD and if it applies to her without getting a SOFA stamp, is having her name on the orders sufficient? We will not have time for her naturalization or reentry permit.

 

Spouse or Child of a Member of the U.S. Armed Forces or Civilian Employee of the U.S. Government Stationed Abroad - If you are the spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or of a civilian employee of the U.S. government stationed abroad on official orders, you may use your Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, to enter the United States even if it has expired. Therefore, you would not need a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, as long as you:

• Have not abandoned your LPR status; and
• Your spouse or parent is returning to the United States.

 

Does that apply to contractors as well or does it not matter as she will be on the 700-19?

 

 

I am a German citizen, well actually a dual citizen now. Back when my husband got orders for Germany, I had my LPR (greencard) and a German passport. The SOFA card was taped into my German passport by our local US base in Germany. So the argument you were given, is different from what I was told and experienced.

Edited Wednesday at 06:59 PM by R&OC

[Whali 0]

Thanks!