Re-Entry Permit

[stevesri]

Hello,
I got my Green Card two years ago. I would like to go to India and get married. Since I cannot bring my wife, I am planning to stay there for a while, which would mean that I apply for a Re-entry Permit.


I am assuming that "Staying with the family " would not constitute a valid reason for the request. Is that correct. If that is ok, I intend applying for it.

Any idea about the time it takes to get one currently ?

Also assuming that I get it for that reason ( Staying with the fly) and I go to India ,take up a job which makes me travel/stay in different countries , would that contradict my original intention of applying for the permit ( i.e to stay with the family). Although I assume that for longer stays in other countries, I would take my family there.

[longGC]

For Re-Entry Permit you do not need a reason. You just file in US before you leave. It does not need to be approved. It takes about a year to approve but that is not what anyone should worry about.

ReP is rarely denied if it is first attempt. Subsequent RePs may be questioned and refused.

But ReP does not solve your problem permanently. You can be with your wife for next 2 years, but how you are planning to be with her for rest of the life?

If you were a US citizen, you would file for K visa and sponsor a GC for her. But by staying abroad for more than 6 months, you lose continuous residency requirement. So your problem does not get solved.

[stevesri]

Glad to know that there does not have to be a reason.

I may come back after getting married to apply for my wife and return back to India.

Also let us say I apply today , I leave for India. The permit is accepted next year July and is valid for two years from then. Does that mean I can stay three years without an issue ( from Jul 04 - July 07 ) ?

[luk12]

I have a similar question here. If the reentry permit is valid starting from the approval date, will it be ok to return to US within 2 years after its approval? According to the forum. generally it will take a year to get reentry permit approved and applicants can leave US once they file the application. Does this mean that applicants can stay abroad for roughly three years before they return to US? At the port of entry. how can you answer the officer about how long you stayed abroad? Three years?

[luk12]

Thanks, ****. You are being so helpful here.
Here comes more questions.
If reentry permit is pending for one year, do I need to return to US once and leave again to prevent the problems caused by rejection of the case or this doesn't help at all for future return under the situation that the case is rejected?

During the time period staying abroad, can I come back to US for short visit multiple times?

I heard that it is wise to keep a US residence before leaving. I like to give a friend's address since I don't own a house or have family in US. Do I need to fill my friend's address in the reentry permit application? If so, I need to file AR-11 to inform INS about the address change? Do I also need to change the address in my driver licence as well as the addresses for bank and credit card account?

Thanks in advance!

[longGC]

Thanks, ****. You are being so helpful here.
Here comes more questions.
If reentry permit is pending for one year, do I need to return to US once and leave again to prevent the problems caused by rejection of the case or this doesn't help at all for future return under the situation that the case is rejected?

During the time period staying abroad, can I come back to US for short visit multiple times?

I heard that it is wise to keep a US residence before leaving. I like to give a friend's address since I don't own a house or have family in US. Do I need to fill my friend's address in the reentry permit application? If so, I need to file AR-11 to inform INS about the address change? Do I also need to change the address in my driver licence as well as the addresses for bank and credit card account?

Thanks in advance!

You have lot many questions,
1. It is wise to come back before 12 months expire if your REP is not approved.
2. You can visit US multiple times. Having REP does not prevent you from entering US.
3. The US residence is good to have but giving friend's address does not become YOUR residence. You need to prove that you pay for the mortgage or rent. Unless you do that, it does not become your residence. AR-11 needs to be filled whenever you change residence.

[luk12]

LongGC, thanks.

[luk12]

Originally Posted by longGC

3. The US residence is good to have but giving friend's address does not become YOUR residence. You need to prove that you pay for the mortgage or rent. Unless you do that, it does not become your residence. AR-11 needs to be filled whenever you change residence.

Most likely the custom officers will ask where you live when returning. If I planned to stay abroad up to 2 years and filed the REP before I leave, for the safety pupose I better to return within one year. How should I answer that question properly if I don't have a residence other than a friend's address?