Can I travel outside the US for 7 months, having received a Green Card just 2 months ago?

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bluenwhite

New Member
I recently applied for and received a Green Card as an extraordinary ability alien. I have since been offered a job, performing on a cruise ship in Europe, for 6 months. Including going to my home country for Christmas, I would be out of the US for around 7 months. When I leave in December, I would have had my Green Card for a few days less than 2 months. I received my Green Card in the US and I’m currently in the US.

I have read the information on the USCIS website, regarding international travel for US permanent residents.

I do intend to return to the US and reside here. I intend to keep my US bank account and pay US income tax while I am abroad. However, I am taking a 7 month trip abroad, having had a Green Card for only two months, which potentially could look like abandoning residence in the US

I would like to take the 6 month job in Europe, but I certainly do not want to lose permanent resident status.

Please give me your view on whether I would ok to to take this job, or whether I would be at high risk of losing permanent resident status.

Thank you.
 
The 7 month trip will probably delay your eligibility for citizenship, but if you stick to 7 months and don't take any more long trips in the near future it's very unlikely you would lose your green card over that trip alone.

For added "insurance", apply for a reentry permit which would preserve your green card for up to 2 years and reduce the chances of hassle when you return. It requires a fingerprint appointment a few weeks after you apply for it, so apply now so you can get that done before you leave in December. You can have the permit delivered to your US address, or to a consulate abroad where you would pick it up.
 
hi my name is Marian.me and my girlfriend Veronika are from Slovakia.i'm US citizen now and we are going to get married in three weeks.we got 2 months old daughter born in US.after our marriage we are going to apply for green card for Veronika.them wait to get it but our plan for next year is to leave US probably in may 2011 for couple of months.could be 6-12 or more months(maybe stay there for few years) because we both have families there so we would like to raise our kid there(Slovakia).what would happened to Veronika's green card if we decide to stay there for more then 6 months.or is there any legal way to extend our stay there without her loosing the card?
 
You can apply for a re-entry permit for 2 years which gives you protection from losing green card and protection from being denied entry just because of a long trip.

However, if you are a us citizen, you can request a green card for her later when you decide to be back for good. don't worry so much about losing it.
 
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