Can you lose your Green Card by staying outside the U.S.?

If you are a green card recipient and want to travel outside the United States, it’s really important to know the rules you must follow to re-enter the country without immigration problems in the future.

U.S. immigration law assumes that a person admitted to the United States as an immigrant will live in the United States permanently. Therefore, authorities have set a series of conditions for all permanent residents. If these conditions are not met, the green card can be revoked.

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How much time can I be outside the U.S. with a green card?

According to official information, remaining outside American territory for more than 12 months may result in the loss of lawful permanent resident status.

To stay outside the United States for more than 12 months as an immigrant who holds permanent resident status, it is necessary to ask U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for prior approval.

This prior approval from USCIS comes in the form of a re-entry permit, which can only be applied for while in the United States. A holder of a USCIS re-entry permit may remain outside the United States during the permit’s validity period, which is normally up to 24 months.

What happens if I do not ask for prior approval?

To all permanent residents who stay outside the United States for more than 12 months without prior approval, the other option to re-enter the country is to apply for returning resident status.

An application for returning resident status requires evidence that the applicant maintained continuous ties to the United States, that their stay outside the country was beyond their control, and that they have always intended to return.