Permanent residence

[syrny]

Hi,

Can you give some suggestions and helpful hints.

If we leave USA and live abroad for a year or two, how do we maintain permanent address?

1) Can we use PO box for all correspondence?

2) In case of driver's licence change, vehicle registration and other DMV related issues, do they accept PO box?

3) Auto insurance. Did they calculate premium based zip code where PO box is located? Do thay need permanent residence?

4) What about tax filing, SSN etc.

You might suggest to give friend's or relative's address? But you never know when they might move to different place as it all depends on how long the job lasts. Just do not want to depend on others?

Is it feasible at all? When I come to USA, I might stay in motel or friend's places here and there.

I saw some mail will not be sent to PO box at all (like FedEx or UPS deliveries). What to do in those cases?

Thanks.

 

[warlord]

Hi,

Can you give some suggestions and helpful hints.

If we leave USA and live abroad for a year or two, how do we maintain permanent address?

1) Can we use PO box for all correspondence?

2) In case of driver's licence change, vehicle registration and other DMV related issues, do they accept PO box?

3) Auto insurance. Did they calculate premium based zip code where PO box is located? Do thay need permanent residence?

4) What about tax filing, SSN etc.

You might suggest to give friend's or relative's address? But you never know when they might move to different place as it all depends on how long the job lasts. Just do not want to depend on others?

Is it feasible at all? When I come to USA, I might stay in motel or friend's places here and there.

I saw some mail will not be sent to PO box at all (like FedEx or UPS deliveries). What to do in those cases?

Thanks.

Unless the job is working for a US company anything that duration will be determined an abandonment of your Green Card. If it is working for the Military or US government there are forms you can file to perserve your residnecy Statue (N-470 I believe). If it is for a US company you can preserve your Green Card (not sure what you need to file) but will lose residency status.

If this is for a non-US company then you will lose residency and really good chance of having your Green Card revoked...

 

[syrny]

Sorry. If one becomes a citizen and want to stay abroad for one year or two.

 

[Bobsmyth]

Unless the job is working for a US company anything that duration will be determined an abandonment of your Green Card.

Not true. A reentry permit allows one to retain GC status for stays outside US above 1 year but less than 2 years.

If it is working for the Military or US government there are forms you can file to perserve your residnecy Statue (N-470 I believe). If it is for a US company you can preserve your Green Card (not sure what you need to file) but will lose residency status.

N-470 is to preserve continuous residence for naturalization purposes, not to preserve GC status. In order to preserve GC status for stays outside US more than 1 year but less than 2 years the applicant must file reentry permit (I-131).
The I-131 is not employer dependent, so a GC holder on an approved I-131 who works for a non US company in a foreign county will not loose GC status.

 

[Bobsmyth]

Sorry. If one becomes a citizen and want to stay abroad for one year or two.

Once you become a citizen you can live wherever you want without fear of loosing your US citizenship.

 

[syrny]

Bob,

Thanks.

My question is how do you maintain permanent residence for one or two years when you are away. I think one can use PO box as current address or mailing address.

Many won't accept PO box on applications for mailing correspondence?

For example, if I want to apply for US passport, the form clearly asks for both mailing address and permanent address. If I am not living in an apartment, how do I provide permanent address?

I am planning to rent PO box for holding mail.

 

[Bobsmyth]

Bob,

Thanks.

My question is how do you maintain permanent residence for one or two years when you are away. I think one can use PO box as current address or mailing address.

Many won't accept PO box on applications for mailing correspondence?

For example, if I want to apply for US passport, the form clearly asks for both mailing address and permanent address. If I am not living in an apartment, how do I provide permanent address?

I am planning to rent PO box for holding mail.

If your permanent residence is in another country after you become a US citizen, then that is the address what you would use as your permanent residence. As for renewing a passport while living in another country, the US embassy or council in that country provides the service to you. You are not required to maintain residency ties to US mainland once you become a US citizen.

 

[syrny]

You are saying we have to give foreign address as permanent address.

I am not sure for DL, auto insurance etc, what address they do accept? I will give a call to them.

 

[Bobsmyth]

You are saying we have to give foreign address as permanent address.

I am not sure for DL, auto insurance etc, what address they do accept? I will give a call to them.

Yes, you would use foreign address. There are many US department citizen employees in foreign countries on long term assignment that use their foreign address as permanent residence.

If you are out of the country for so long, why renew your DL and insurance? Are you planning on coming back to US during that time or will someone else use your car?

 

[warlord]

Not true. A reentry permit allows one to retain GC status for stays outside US above 1 year but less than 2 years.

Though isn't a re-entry permit usually granted to people who are usually vacationing or tending to sick relatives rather then to work for foreign compaines in the host country?

I assume the OP is going to move there to work at a local company. Which is what I didn't think qualified for a re-entry permit.

Maybe my understanding of the re-entry permit isn't correct then...

 

[Bobsmyth]

Though isn't a re-entry permit usually granted to people who are usually vacationing or tending to sick relatives rather then to work for foreign compaines in the host country?

I assume the OP is going to move there to work at a local company. Which is what I didn't think qualified for a re-entry permit.

Maybe my understanding of the re-entry permit isn't correct then...

A reentry permit is to retain LPR status. The OP is refering to being a USC and moving to a foreign country.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

Rephrasing ...

As a US citizen, if we leave USA and live abroad for a year or two, how do we maintain AN address?

..... the bottom line is that you want to maintain most of your accounts, credit cards, DL, auto insurance etc., while you are abroad. Sure you can, but there is no one catch-all formula. You have to go case by case. I have listed below some options with my commentary on this.

Option 1 - Earth Class Mail - For about 10 USD you can get earth class mail ... I am not sure how the company is doing, but they were about to go bankrupt at some point of time. However, the concept is good. They will give you a street address such as "78 Laguna Niguel, San Francisco, CA". Their cheapest service is in Oregon and some other remote location. They will scan everything and email to you. If you want a paper copy (original) of something, you look at the scan and ask them to send it to you.

I personally would prefer this option even at the cost of 10-20 bucks ... IF I was concerned about someone (friend) snooping into my mail. Which I am not.

Option 2 - Friend - I thought it was better to keep a US address for my bank accounts and credit card (with a friend) rather than put a foreign address. Given the economy (credit cards are being cancelled because CC companies fear further credit squeeze, I thought it best not to scare them by giving a foreign address and getting my card cancelled). I do not think there is any legality issue, but you never know.

Option 3 - PO Box. Even if you had a PO box, how will you get its mail? If you have an urgent thing, they are not going to send it to you. However, many companies will take a PO box as an address. I think MailBoxes etc (or is it UPS now) would also give you a street address instead of a PO Box number for some extra cash. The problem would be pick up of the mail - how will you pick it up?

Option 4 - Foreign address - Of course you can give foreign address in many places. My personal preference is give it to IRS, Dept of State and that's about it. IRS - mainly so that you can cleanly show any foreign exemptions you might have. Dept of State - mainly for expats (living abroad) to get local travel advisories. Maybe I will let Social Security office know too.

What would you do for DMV / Insurance?
--> Why do you need insurance if you are out for 2 years?
--> DMV - I know someone said why do you need DL - I think it is worth keeping it because the paperwork on return is less.

Other things...
--> cut down # accounts and cards to the minimum you wish to keep.
--> switch to electronic statements

Now, of course each person may have a different situation and they might prioritize some option over others. If your friends move too often, and maybe are not reliable to handle your mail correctly, you might be forced to go for a PO box. I think apart from the government, no one has the need to have a foreign address.

Finally, while living in this temporary arrangement -- having US accounts but not living here -- there may not be one solution which fits all your needed, and you might need a combo of these (or other options).

 

[syrny]

Thanks sanjoseaug20.

I have iPhone also. That costs $70 per month just to keep it.

Looks to me, difficult have one foot in USA and another in foreigh country.


Without car, internet and phone, it's very very difficult to stay in USA for two or three months.

 

[Bobsmyth]

Rephrasing ...

As a US citizen, if we leave USA and live abroad for a year or two, how do we maintain AN address?

..... the bottom line is that you want to maintain most of your accounts, credit cards, DL, auto insurance etc., while you are abroad. Sure you can, but there is no one catch-all formula. You have to go case by case. I have listed below some options with my commentary on this.

Option 1 - Earth Class Mail - For about 10 USD you can get earth class mail ... I am not sure how the company is doing, but they were about to go bankrupt at some point of time. However, the concept is good. They will give you a street address such as "78 Laguna Niguel, San Francisco, CA". Their cheapest service is in Oregon and some other remote location. They will scan everything and email to you. If you want a paper copy (original) of something, you look at the scan and ask them to send it to you.

I personally would prefer this option even at the cost of 10-20 bucks ... IF I was concerned about someone (friend) snooping into my mail. Which I am not.

Option 2 - Friend - I thought it was better to keep a US address for my bank accounts and credit card (with a friend) rather than put a foreign address. Given the economy (credit cards are being cancelled because CC companies fear further credit squeeze, I thought it best not to scare them by giving a foreign address and getting my card cancelled). I do not think there is any legality issue, but you never know.

Option 3 - PO Box. Even if you had a PO box, how will you get its mail? If you have an urgent thing, they are not going to send it to you. However, many companies will take a PO box as an address. I think MailBoxes etc (or is it UPS now) would also give you a street address instead of a PO Box number for some extra cash. The problem would be pick up of the mail - how will you pick it up?

Option 4 - Foreign address - Of course you can give foreign address in many places. My personal preference is give it to IRS, Dept of State and that's about it. IRS - mainly so that you can cleanly show any foreign exemptions you might have. Dept of State - mainly for expats (living abroad) to get local travel advisories. Maybe I will let Social Security office know too.

What would you do for DMV / Insurance?
--> Why do you need insurance if you are out for 2 years?
--> DMV - I know someone said why do you need DL - I think it is worth keeping it because the paperwork on return is less.

Other things...
--> cut down # accounts and cards to the minimum you wish to keep.
--> switch to electronic statements

Now, of course each person may have a different situation and they might prioritize some option over others. If your friends move too often, and maybe are not reliable to handle your mail correctly, you might be forced to go for a PO box. I think apart from the government, no one has the need to have a foreign address.

Finally, while living in this temporary arrangement -- having US accounts but not living here -- there may not be one solution which fits all your needed, and you might need a combo of these (or other options).

If you're that adamant about keeping a US address while you are out of US, there are plenty of third party mail forwarding services out there for you to choose from.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

Looks to me, difficult have one foot in USA and another in foreigh country.

Ha, that's true before naturalization and after ...

iPhone - cancel it, switch to another provider. i transferred my number to VOIP and will transfer it back to iPhone(ATT) or someone else when needed. It costs you termination fees, but that's not more than 3 months of iPhone charges.