green card time frames

K

kevpc

New Member
new to forum so hi to all. hope someone can advise me, please. i appologise if this has been asked before.
i have been a UK citizen for 4 years and live in the UK. my sister is a USA citizen and has applied for me to live in USA. i am expecting to receive notification of my interview for getting the green card residency in USA very soon. providing i am successful, how long before i must go to the USA? how long must i remain in the USA before i am allowed to come back to the UK (i have commitments in UK at this moment, so must come back)? what would i have to do to be able to leave the USA? how long would i be able to stay outside USA in UK?
many tnx for any advise given
 
How long ago did she apply for you? Did she apply in 2001 or before? If not, you still have a long wait for the interview. If yes, they'll give you 6 months to initially enter the US after being approved at the interview.

Once you enter the US and you're ready to leave again, you have these options and consequences:

- Leave the US as soon as you want, then return in under 6 months: Low chance of hassles at the port of entry when you return.

- Leave the US as soon as you want, then return after 6 months or more (but less than a year): High chance of hassles at the port of entry when you return, but you'll probably still be let into the US.

- Leave the US as soon as you want, then return 1 year or more later: Your green card is cancelled.

- Stay in the US long enough to complete the formalities for applying for a reentry permit (3-5 weeks): You can stay outside the US for 2 years while preserving your green card, and the chance of hassle when returning is low if you show the reentry permit.


Bear in mind that regardless of which option you take, long trips taken shortly after your initial entry can delay your eligibility for citizenship; the officer evaluating your citizenship application may start counting your 5 years from the date when you really started living in the US, rather than when you first set foot on US soil as a permanent resident.
 
many tnx for reply and info, Jackolantern. very helpful. application was 2001 or just before. interview should now be within the 6 months time frame. would stay in USA for around 3 moths initially, but need to return to UK because of commitments (house sale etc), so would apply for re-entry visa whilst in USA.
 
@ Jackolantern:
As your post OPTION :
1 - Leave the US as soon as you want, then return in under 6 months: Low chance of hassles at the port of entry when you return.

2 - Leave the US as soon as you want, then return after 6 months or more (but less than a year): High chance of hassles at the port of entry when you return, but you'll probably still be let into the US.

How many time ussualy I can do this & still acceptable for the immigration? Can I leave & return every twice a year for let say 4 year ( 8x return for 1'st option / 4x return for the 2'nd option ) ?

Many thank's..
 
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