Hello,
Thanks for everyone's kind advice.
It has been 7 months since activating my green card. I visited the USA for 2 weeks at the 5 month mark to look around for work and then returned to Australia to tie up loose ends. A few people raised concerns about the immigration officer writing the length of time away i.e. after the annotation ARC Away 2 months. When I entered at the 5 month mark, the immigration officer only put ARC.
1. Is there any cause for concern if the next officer annotates ARC and the duration I’ve been away? I’d imagine its not the same implication as them putting Advised Residency Requirements. and I'm of the understanding that it may be part of protocol but at the officer's discretion to write down time spent away after "ARC".
I am of the understanding that I am allowed to make multiple (short, say 2-4 weeks) trips away from the USA to my original country, Australia while I tie up loose ends and try to establish residency in the USA.
2. On my next trip I am planning to exit from Australia and book a return ticket simply because its cheaper than a one way ticket, but its duration is for 6 - 12 months, while I try to establish myself in the USA. Can anyone forsee any issues with this given its the third entry? (I asked and was told on my first (Green Card activation trip) entry to San Francisco that I have up to 2 years to establish residency, but should not be out of the country for more than 12 months at a time without a re-entry permit, so I'm guessing whatever I'm planning to do should be ok?)
Thanks.
-Tom