Leaving for 10 months, reentry permit needed?

[Hannah7]

Two weeks after the first enter to the U.S. I am leaving the country for 10 months. I dont even have the plastic GC, but my friend living on the address (according AR11) will forward my plastic GC to the Europe (where I live). This is ok, right?

I guess, I don't need any reentry permit if I really plan to be back within one year.

Note:
I am aware, that reentry permit increases trouble-free return even within one year. But I just dont wanna throw the $400 fee out of window

 

[Jackolantern]

Two weeks after the first enter to the U.S. I am leaving the country for 10 months. I dont even have the plastic GC, but my friend living on the address (according AR11) will forward my plastic GC to the Europe (where I live).

Now that you have a green card, you need to think and speak of yourself as living in the US and visiting Europe, or you could lose your card.

A reentry permit is not required for a 10-month trip, but it makes sense to have it in case something delays your trip beyond one year.

Once you take a trip of more than 6 months, the burden of proof is on you to show that you have maintained US residence while you were away. Reentry permit or not, be prepared for possible problems at the end of that trip, because with you having stayed no more than two weeks in the US, they could say you never established residence in the first place and you could lose your green card.

 

[Hannah7]

Now that you have a green card, you need to think and speak of yourself as living in the US and visiting Europe, or you could lose your card.

ok

A reentry permit is not required for a 10-month trip, but it makes sense to have it in case something delays your trip beyond one year.

You are right. On the other hand I case of trip beyond one year, I think it's possible to use money for airticket (in order to appeal in US for couple days) instead of paying fee for reentry permit, isn't it?

Anyway applying for I-131 seems to be very complicated, time consuming as well as expensive.

Once you take a trip of more than 6 months, the burden of proof is on you to show that you have maintained US residence while you were away. Reentry permit or not, be prepared for possible problems at the end of that trip, because with you having stayed no more than two weeks in the US, they could say you never established residence in the first place and you could lose your green card.

Oh my God! Is there a rule saying what time do I need to establish residence?


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My idea now is to open back account, get driving license. What more I can do?

 

[Jackolantern]

Oh my God! Is there a rule saying what time do I need to establish residence?

If they don't think you established residence in the first place, how will you convince them that you maintained residence while away?

My idea now is to open back account, get driving license. What more I can do?

Stay for a couple of months before leaving.

However, if what you're doing outside the US is completing university studies, they are more inclined to accept that you were away for the temporary purpose of studying and you weren't really living outside the US.

 

[Hannah7]

If they don't think you established residence in the first place, how will you convince them that you maintained residence while away?

Stay for a couple of months before leaving.

That seems to be right, but I can't stay in the U.S. for more than 1 month this year.

However, if what you're doing outside the US is completing university studies, they are more inclined to accept that you were away for the temporary purpose of studying and you weren't really living outside the US.

Yes, I am university student, finishing the bachelor degree

 

[Hannah7]

Actually ...

I wanna come to US on 1st September and leave at the end of September. During that time I ll be finishing the university and applying for US university.

So I plan to come back to USA on late July 2009 - > thats 10 months absence.

I don't wanna apply for reentry permit but at the same time I don't wanna be denied entry ...

Anyone else has opinion on that?

 

[cafeconleche]

Hi Hannah7,

Like Jackolantern said, you have to prove that you were just temporarily outside the US and have established residence. So, you should do some things like get a driver's licence, maybe a credit card, if you can, open a bank account, etc. You know, stuff that you would have if you were actually living here, but which you don't have to waste money on if you're going to Europe for 10 months (like a cellular phone contract). However, you could, if you have relatives or good friends in the US, have your name included on a lease or the ownership title of a car, or even get something like a cellular phone contract in your name but have your friend or relative use and pay for it. These things may help you in the future.

I'm a student in Amsterdam, too, and I have a GC (by the way, just out of curiosity, where are you from and where are you studying?). I have way more ties to the US because I've been living here for more than 10 years, but my mom includes me in a lot of her stuff, such as credit card accounts and the title to her condominium, so that will help when I apply for citizenship later on.

As for re-entering the country, you should be able to explain yourself. So, having such documents on hand would help in case you're sent to secondary inspection (just a little room where they question you further). Also, have some letter from the university proving you're there just temporarily. An end-date for your stay abroad is always good. I have an RP (Re-Entry Permit) now, but before, I traveled on an RTD (Refugee Travel Document), so I've had fewer problems, I think. They've never been too suspicious of me. I was out for about 5 months, came back for 20 days, and left for another 5 months. Now, with the RP, the IO hardly looked at me (which is good). So, I think an RP DOES help. Yes, it's a lot of money, but your GC, in my opinion, is well worth it. Just consider the expense as part of your GC fees (Diversity lottery, right?).

Good luck

 

[Hannah7]

Hi Hannah7,

Like Jackolantern said, you have to prove that you were just temporarily outside the US and have established residence. So, you should do some things like get a driver's licence, maybe a credit card, if you can, open a bank account, etc. You know, stuff that you would have if you were actually living here, but which you don't have to waste money on if you're going to Europe for 10 months (like a cellular phone contract). However, you could, if you have relatives or good friends in the US, have your name included on a lease or the ownership title of a car, or even get something like a cellular phone contract in your name but have your friend or relative use and pay for it. These things may help you in the future.

I'm a student in Amsterdam, too, and I have a GC (by the way, just out of curiosity, where are you from and where are you studying?). I have way more ties to the US because I've been living here for more than 10 years, but my mom includes me in a lot of her stuff, such as credit card accounts and the title to her condominium, so that will help when I apply for citizenship later on.

As for re-entering the country, you should be able to explain yourself. So, having such documents on hand would help in case you're sent to secondary inspection (just a little room where they question you further). Also, have some letter from the university proving you're there just temporarily. An end-date for your stay abroad is always good. I have an RP (Re-Entry Permit) now, but before, I traveled on an RTD (Refugee Travel Document), so I've had fewer problems, I think. They've never been too suspicious of me. I was out for about 5 months, came back for 20 days, and left for another 5 months. Now, with the RP, the IO hardly looked at me (which is good). So, I think an RP DOES help. Yes, it's a lot of money, but your GC, in my opinion, is well worth it. Just consider the expense as part of your GC fees (Diversity lottery, right?).

Good luck

America seems to be prison for me, I thought everything would me way easier in comparison to study visa for example. My intend is to study in U.S.
But when I got the GC chance I opt for it!

In real, in one month, I can obtain driving license and bank account, but still I don't have reason paying cellphone bills and stuff. As a student I dont think about any mortgage, I think about living on dormitory for example.

I have just one penfriend in the U.S, she promised me I can stay with her for this one month and use her mailing address.

I really wanna live in America, but next or over-next year, thats the only problem ( the timing problem )

 

[Jackolantern]

You say you plan to do another degree in the US when you are done with studying overseas? If you reenter the US at the end of those 10 months with evidence of being accepted into a US university to begin the next degree, that would definitely help your case. And make sure to apply to more than one university, if you are trying for the highly prestigious schools such as Harvard, Stanford, Yale, etc. because they reject lots of good students.

It would also help if you came back to the US during the December/January holiday period, to avoid being away for six straight months, and to emphasize that you are away only to study (such that during the holiday breaks when you are not studying, you are spending the time in the US).

 

[cafeconleche]

You say you plan to do another degree in the US when you are done with studying overseas? If you reenter the US at the end of those 10 months with evidence of being accepted into a US university to begin the next degree, that would definitely help your case. And make sure to apply to more than one university, if you are trying for the highly prestigious schools such as Harvard, Stanford, Yale, etc. because they reject lots of good students.

It would also help if you came back to the US during the December/January holiday period, to avoid being away for six straight months, and to emphasize that you are away only to study (such that during the holiday breaks when you are not studying, you are spending the time in the US).

Good advice.

Anyway, since you're a student, you don't have to do everything I mentioned. The more you have, the better, but the driver's licence and bank account are a good start. Also, have documentation of your studies, both, the studies in Europe as well as any potential admission letter for a US university.