Reentry Permit - Need advice

D

duke53

New Member
Thanks in advance to all.

I am a Green card holder and had to return back to my country to look after my aged grandparents. I have a valid reentry permit(issued for 2 yr validity and expires next month) and during the validity period had been to the US 2 times now(2 weeks duration). I have been paying my taxes as resident alien, maintained my bank accounts, credit cards, addresses. Also, I have been working and continuing to work for the same US company that I used to work with when I was in the US.

I am looking for guidance:

* I would like to continue to be with my aged grandparents as I know they don't have too much longer to live.

My options then are:
1. I can apply for a 2nd reentry permit. But, that will hold only for another 1 year. Meanwhile, it's hard for me to judge how long I need to be in my country, given the state of my aged family. Therefore, the only thing that I can think of is make 2 to 3 week visits every 5 months(while of course doing all the above, working for the same US company, paying taxes etc).

(OR)

2. I can give up my greencard and for business visits which will happen once a year, my company can sponsor me a business visa[I have lost my continuity period for citizenship].
Option 2 scares me because it's a huge decision - with GC, my career and personal life options are wide open.

Based on your experiences, knowledge, I am looking for advice on what would be the best approach for me in my situation - (1) or (2)?

Thanks much for your help and advice...
 
The second reentry permit usually has a validity of 2 years and not one. Since the period of validity begins on the issue date and not application date, you actually end up getting more time to stay abroad. For example if you apply next month (May 2007) and recieve the REP in Dec 2007, you will be able to stay outside the country until Dec 2009.

Ultimately you will of course have to decide on whether to continue being a GC holder; the REP will only allow you to delay that decision.
 
option 2 is quite risky. Who can garantee that you will get the visa?

you really have to decide whether staying with your grandparents and losing your GC is acceptable to you. Good luck.
 
duke53 said:
Thanks in advance to all.

I am a Green card holder and had to return back to my country to look after my aged grandparents. I have a valid reentry permit(issued for 2 yr validity and expires next month) and during the validity period had been to the US 2 times now(2 weeks duration). I have been paying my taxes as resident alien, maintained my bank accounts, credit cards, addresses. Also, I have been working and continuing to work for the same US company that I used to work with when I was in the US.

I am looking for guidance:

* I would like to continue to be with my aged grandparents as I know they don't have too much longer to live.

My options then are:
1. I can apply for a 2nd reentry permit. But, that will hold only for another 1 year. Meanwhile, it's hard for me to judge how long I need to be in my country, given the state of my aged family. Therefore, the only thing that I can think of is make 2 to 3 week visits every 5 months(while of course doing all the above, working for the same US company, paying taxes etc).

(OR)

2. I can give up my greencard and for business visits which will happen once a year, my company can sponsor me a business visa[I have lost my continuity period for citizenship].
Option 2 scares me because it's a huge decision - with GC, my career and personal life options are wide open.

Based on your experiences, knowledge, I am looking for advice on what would be the best approach for me in my situation - (1) or (2)?

Thanks much for your help and advice...
Click to expand...

Hi:

My advice may sound a little harsh and I don't mean it to be. I am well aware about how torn one can feel between wanting to stay with loved ones, especially if they were to pass away soon, and maintaining your status.

However, you have to ask this quasi-cold, detached question. If they will pass away soon, perhaps in a year or two, you will be the one that has to move on with life and build your life. While a GC is by no means necessary to have a good life, you will be giving up significant chances and opportunities and probably a life you built in the US.

You may beat yourself up over not being with your grandparents all the time, but surely you have spent a lot of time with them now, and surely they will understand that it is important for your future to maintain status. As I said, they may be leaving you soon, but you have to continue.
 
also, not trying to sound harsh, but sometimes the grandparents don't leave as "soon" as you night think, especially both of them at the same time. My grandpa was given 6 months, but lived for another 5 years. Had I given up on my F-1 visa to spend the "6 months" with him, I would have given up on my education in the US (I wasn't even thinking about a potential future in the US yet), and I am absolutely certain that he wouldn't have wanted that. And F-1 doesn't even compare to GC.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank You,...

As the lone decision maker, I was totally perplexed in deciding my options and all these various discussions have helped me a lot.

Thanks everybody for all the valuable input(Sorry for the belated Thanks but, for some reason, I was not able to post my replies yesterday..)

I had stayed for 4 and half years physically after getting the GC and had to depart in a hurry due to family's health conditions. Because of family circumstances, I could not return within 6 months and thus, lost my continuity period and now my citizenship clock has reset to ZERO. :( Although I had my reentry permit and I visited the US after one year, it doesn't help.

Thanks again,
Duke53.
 
duke53 said:
As the lone decision maker, I was totally perplexed in deciding my options and all these various discussions have helped me a lot.

Thanks everybody for all the valuable input(Sorry for the belated Thanks but, for some reason, I was not able to post my replies yesterday..)

I had stayed for 4 and half years physically after getting the GC and had to depart in a hurry due to family's health conditions. Because of family circumstances, I could not return within 6 months and thus, lost my continuity period and now my citizenship clock has reset to ZERO. :( Although I had my reentry permit and I visited the US after one year, it doesn't help.

Thanks again,
Duke53.
Click to expand...

Hi:

Yes, you have lost continuity for citizenship, but you can still return based on the REP and preserve your PR status ----- that is the important issue now, at least the way I look at it.
 
hi

I recently gave up my GC after exhuasting REP due to my commitments in india. The market is pretty good in India. So we don't loose much at this point I guess. We get to travel short-term around the world anyway if you are in IT.
 
1- Should applicant be in US during the process or can leave after he/she will apply for it.

2- I have a project outside of the US that I have been working on. It will take not more than 2 years to finalize it. Is it acceptable reason to apply for re-entry permit? What reasons can be submitted for application?

Thanks

duke53 said:
It took approx. four and half months for me.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top