Friday, February 6, 2009

Maintaining Green Card Status

Maintaining Green Card Status

A Green Card is nothing but a document of proof for a foreign resident willing to live and work in the US. A Green card gives you authority to reside and work or carryout your business in US legally. Eligibility criteria are considered to qualify for a Green Card. The Green lottery, relationships or family members residing overseas help applicants to get the green card. Maintaining Green Card Status is necessary. Applying for a Green Card is a multi-step procedure. Government provides legal procedures for acquiring the green card. These steps can be complicated and time consuming. Maintaining Green Card Status requires you to stay in the US for a longer period of time. Your absence abroad is to be temporary. If someone residing in US has gone overseas then this period should be temporary and you should return within a short time period to retain the residential status.

Circumstances like intention of alien will be considered when he stays in other country temporarily. Permanent residents remaining outside the US will lose their residence status and will require retaining or renewing. You may require undergoing the entire process of petition and immigrant visa. Sometimes you may decide to be in some foreign country for above 1 year but up to 2 years. In this case a re-entry Permit is required. Residents who obtain re-entry Permit from USCIS in US before the departure need not return for up to 2 years. Others who are outside the US for more than 1 year have to look at Maintaining Green Card Status. For this purpose entirely new documentation will be required again. When your green card expires you need to renew it by following government policies and this may again take time. It is important for foreign residents to renew their green cards by checking their status from time to time to avoid the lengthy procedure if card expires.

A Green card holder should never show any intention to discontinue his residence permanently in US. If government finds out that you are just pretending to stay in US then you may lose your green card permanently. Maintaining Green Card Status can be done by applying for re-entry permit of two years from the date of issue of green card. With this license you can stay outside for only up to two years after which card will have to be retained. A lot of paperwork is required for maintaining the status of green card. For keeping the green card status alive a person can take precautions like obtaining re-entry, file tax returns, maintain US address, keep US bank accounts, and uphold US driving license or US credit card account. There may be ownership of US property and documents stating proper reasons for staying longer abroad, social security number and many more. Children reaching age of 14 years can file an application to replace green card so that Maintaining Green Card Status up to the age of 16 years will be trouble-free. Using any kind of non-immigrant visa for returning to US has to be avoided. For Maintaining Green Card Status it is important to consult immigration attorney.


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