Neither visa nor passport: this document allows travelers to legally enter the U.S. through New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Dallas

Permanent residents who plan to spend more than one year outside the United States can avoid additional paperwork upon return. To do so, they must file the Form I-131 before traveling, according to the Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

The document is known as a Reentry Permit. It allows reentry without applying for a returning resident visa at a U.S. consulate.

The measure applies to those who already have a Green Card, not to foreigners without prior immigration status. International airports such as those in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Dallas, among other ports of entry, process this type of reentry.

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Who can apply for this document and what does it avoid?

The Reentry Permit is intended for permanent or conditional residents. It applies when they know, before leaving the country, that their absence will exceed one year.

Filing it avoids having to apply for a returning resident visa (SB-1) when coming back. That process requires proving eligibility for an immigrant visa and passing a medical examination.

To reenter, it is enough to present a valid Green Card. USCIS clarifies that a passport is not mandatory: a Customs and Border Protection officer may accept a foreign ID or a U.S. driver’s license.

The process has key conditions:

• It must be filed before leaving the United States.
• It expires if the absence exceeds two years; in that case, the SB-1 visa is required.
• It does not guarantee entry: the resident must still be considered admissible.

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What happens if the resident does not apply for the permit in time?

Without the Reentry Permit, an absence of more than one year may require the SB-1 visa, including a medical examination. It can also lead to loss of status if an officer determines that the person did not maintain an intention to reside in the country.

The evaluation takes into account family ties, employment, payment of taxes as a resident, and bank accounts in the United States.

In addition, absences of six months or more can affect continuous residence for citizenship. Those who are outside the country for one year or more can file Form N-470 to preserve it.