Entering the US with GC and two foreign citizenships - does this make any differnce?

[marak]

I got my Green Card by winning the lottery over 2 years ago, entered the US, got a reentry permit, spent 2 years abroad, then visited the US again before the permit expired, then came back to Europe where I currently live. I've been abroad for about 3 months since I left the US last time and am planning to come back to settle there permanently within the next 2 months (less than 6 months following my last departure).

I have just become a European citizen and got a new passport in addition to the passport from my home country which I used when I obtained my Green Card. The main reason I stayed abroad so long was to wait for the job market in the US to improve, but I also took the opportunity to get a European passport for which I qualified by living and working in Europe for a certain period of time.

My home country is a poor one which is why I need a visa and face additional scruitiny if I travel pretty much anywhere with my old passport. With the new passport, I will never have to worry about visas to most countries again and have an option to go back to Europe if I wish. I would also be able to visit the US even without a Green Card.

Here is the question: what is the best course of action for me to come back to the US as far as passports are concerned? I understand I'm on a bit of a shaky ground having spent so much time abroad already and would like to minimize the change of getting hassled at the border when I come back.

Basically there are the followng two options:

1. Use the old, still valid, passport of my home country which I used to enter the US the first time as a Permanent Resident. Use it to book the tickets and show it at the border if required. Do not show the new passport anywhere unless explicitly asked to do so. AFAIK there is no legal obligation to disclose multiple citizenships.
- Advantage: no unnecessary confusion at the border, because my citizenship noted on the green card will match my passport. Any piece of confusing information is just another reason for additional questioning.
- Disadvantage: the passport doesn't command much respect and I am more likely to get hassled at the border.

2. Show my European passport and the Green Card.
- Advantage: presumably less hassle and suspicion because a visa is not required anyway.
- Disadvantage: more confusion. Potential questions as to why my citizenships on the GC and passport don't match, doubts regarding my intention to stay in the US, having to explain myself, additional information leading to even more questions.

Can somebody with more experience and knowledge on the subject please advise? What is the best strategy?

Right now I'm more likely to go for Option 1, though at some point I'll have to show both passports if I travel somewhere out of the US on my European passport visa-free. I am just not sure what kind of risk this situation involves.

 

[namecheckvictim]

Option 1 makes more sense because with option 2, once you explain your situation with the EU Passport, you most definitely will have to disclose your European employment as that is the basis of your EU Passport and that is a total no no for a US permanent resident to be employed somewhere unless it is a US company.

 

[marak]

Option 1 makes more sense because with option 2, once you explain your situation with the EU Passport, you most definitely will have to disclose your European employment as that is the basis of your EU Passport and that is a total no no for a US permanent resident to be employed somewhere unless it is a US company.

By total no no do you mean it's illegal or is it just something that border patrol officers don't like?

By the time I enter the US next time I will not be employed.

 

[TheRealCanadian]

once you explain your situation with the EU Passport, you most definitely will have to disclose your European employment as that is the basis of your EU Passport and that is a total no no for a US permanent resident to be employed somewhere unless it is a US company.

It's not at all prohibited.

 

[Jackolantern]

By total no no do you mean it's illegal or is it just something that border patrol officers don't like?

By the time I enter the US next time I will not be employed.

Use the old passport. The new one may invite a hailstorm of questions. Don't worry about the "commanding respect" issue. You have a green card, which outweighs the "respect" or lack thereof for different countries. The reason people from certain countries are respected or hassled more than others when entering the US is the rate of overstay of people from the given country. With a green card, for the US there is no such thing as overstay.

While foreign employment is not absolutely prohibited, it is one of the indicators they use for determining whether you abandoned your permanent residence during an extended absence. That you won't be employed at the time you enter the US doesn't really matter; the fact still remains that you were employed overseas for an extended time, and your employment during your past absences is what they look for.