Re-entry permit lost in mail

C

confusedalien09

New Member
Hi,
I got my GC in 2007 june.
I recently returned back to india for good, after applying for a re-entry permit.
I had given my friend's address in US, but somehow the REP was lost in mail. I did receive the REP approval notice.
Talked to a few customer reps, but they say there is no way to re-issue the permit and that I have to apply again.

My dilemna is, I can't spend the time/money to be physically present in US in order to re-apply for the re-entry permit.

Questions:
1) Can I apply for the REP (along with the filing fees) WHILE STILL IN INDIA, and attach my REP approval notice and a covering letter mentioning the situation?

2) If this is possible, will I still have to undergo biometrics? Again, is it possible to avoid that altogether, or have that done from india?

3) I'm still undecided whether I may go back to US for long duration in the next 2-3 years, or whether I'll settle down for good in India. Hence the reason I'm pursuing the REP. If I don't have a REP, how many days/months should I be in US every year in order to maintain my Green Card? Is it just a few weeks, or is it 5-6 months every calendar year? (I don't care about messing up any citizenship eligibility rules. My only objective is to continue to have the GC for a few more years).
4) I do have some investments (mutual funds) in US. If I do not pursue REP, do I have to file taxes as Non-Resident next year?

thanks for your valuable help.
 
Also, since I got totally different advices from the different customer reps, I don't want to trust them entirely. Are they correct, or is it still possible to make USCIS re-issue it somehow?
 
confusedalien09 said:
Hi,
I had given my friend's address in US
-This is wrong, your freind's address is not yours and in many cases with unmatched names, the postoffice will return those letters back to the USCIS
but somehow the REP was lost in mail
It is returned back, not lost
few customer reps, but they say there is no way to re-issue the permit and that I have to apply again.
That is right, no replacement for lost permits

1) Can I apply for the REP (along with the filing fees) WHILE STILL IN INDIA, and attach my REP approval notice and a covering letter mentioning the situation?
No, you can not

2) If this is possible, will I still have to undergo biometrics? Again, is it possible to avoid that altogether, or have that done from india?
You have to repeat biometrics every time you apply for REP
3) If I don't have a REP, how many days/months should I be in US every year in order to maintain my Green Card? Is it just a few weeks, or is it 5-6 months every calendar year? (I don't care about messing up any citizenship eligibility rules. My only objective is to continue to have the GC for a few more years).
You can stay overseas for less than 6 months continous and come back once, may be twice but you can not keep this pattern
4) I do have some investments (mutual funds) in US. If I do not pursue REP, do I have to file taxes as Non-Resident next year?
You have to file tax every year with or without investment in US

thanks for your valuable help.
Click to expand...

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If you returned to India for good, why are you worried about reentry permits? You plan to use your green card as a tourist visa while living in India? File I-407 at a US consulate in India to officially surrender your green card, and apply for a tourist visa at the same time.
4) I do have some investments (mutual funds) in US. If I do not pursue REP, do I have to file taxes as Non-Resident next year?
Click to expand...
You still have a green card, so you can't file as a non-resident, you either have to file as a dual-status alien (if you permanently leave the US and surrender your GC before the end of the year) or a US resident.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Triple Citizen said:
What dollar value do you put on your current PR status?
Click to expand...

One of my profesors and his family back in my country got GC by certain way or another and spend almost all his money (many years of working in gulf countries) to the extent of saling his house and renting terrible apartment to keep his GC active. They visited US twice or more per year, applying for permits, higher attorneys ........etc. Finally they lost GCs because they can not keep with that pattern. I understand it is difficult to just give your GC away after all the stress, money, effort .....etc to get it. But, GC is very good if you find a chance in US, if not, it will be the most terrible thing and will exhaust all your resources for the whole time of your life span. The purpose of the permit is if you have temporary event overseas up to 2 years; apply and go, not the reverse.
 
mmed and others,
thanks for your valuable replies.

the thing is, I'm just looking to have a backup option 2 years down the line (especially if i then feel I should settle down in US). I'm more or less confident of finding some job in US anytime, especially after the economy recovers a bit.

also, it doesn't feel good to lose the GC that I got after such a long-drawn process.

But you guys are absolutely right. i shouldn't be worrying about this too much.
thanks again.
 
confusedalien09 said:
mmed and others,
thanks for your valuable replies.

the thing is, I'm just looking to have a backup option 2 years down the line (especially if i then feel I should settle down in US). I'm more or less confident of finding some job in US anytime, especially after the economy recovers a bit.

also, it doesn't feel good to lose the GC that I got after such a long-drawn process.

But you guys are absolutely right. i shouldn't be worrying about this too much.
thanks again.
Click to expand...

I really have choice words for you, but I'm going to try to be nice about it.

You spent all this time, years lest I need to remind you, and I'm sure a lot of money and maybe the help of a sponsor and now you suddenly aren't sure you want to be here. I don't get it. Make up your mind very soon and just live with your decision. Either here or there.

It's quite clear you don't have the financial resources to properly maintain a GC while living abroad and as somebody said above even then with your intended pattern you will lose it anyway. I don't see how you will rectify a weak financial situation in your home country if you couldn't do it here.

Right now as it stands you need to return by the end of your one year period at the least since you can't apply for a REP. You had the option to have it sent to a consulate in your home country and it's very clearly spelled out but I suppose you didn't read that.

Anyway, my point is that if it is you are alone, do what you want. But if you have a family and one day your children may want to pursue long term opportunities in the US and by that time who knows what the laws will be like or if the wait times are 15 years to get in by then.

I think you need to frankly grow a pair and figure out what you want very soon, but remember you may lose something that many are fighting frantically for as we speak. It may not be for you, but you need to decide within the year not 2-3 years from now.
 
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