Urgent advice needed please! Can I still travel?

M

Me07

New Member
Hello, any and all opinion will be appreciated.
I got my green card April 2007, travelled out of the country for few days and returned a couple of times. after 30 months, 2009 summer, i have been spending more time out of the US and returning every three to four months, stay for a few day and then leave. Always spend a month or two during summer though.I was due to file for my citizenship last April but I figure it will be denied since I have been more out than in the country. On my return to the US this time I was stopped for secondary inspection by the immigration, after waiting for like an hour the officer called me and informed me that my travel history shows that I don't live in the US, that if I continue like this my green card could be taken away. I was so scared that i didnt use my return ticket. I have been here since December 2012, I was suppose to return end of Dec. that is my story, my question now is if I travel at the end of Feb for like three week will I face the same problem on my return.? Can my green card be taken away even if I don't spend more than 4 months out of the country at a time? I plan to stay back in the US now, work toward getting my citizenship and just travel out for few weeks moving forward. I buy things from the US and sell when I travel. Please advice. I will really like to hear from you all. Thanks.
 
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Please people I need some opinion on this. 208 views no comment. Pls help. Thank you in anticipation of your help.
 
Quite frankly I do not know what you want people to tell you. To be honest, the Green Card is for people that "Reside" in the US. That means, lives, works, have a life. Traveling is allowed and is not a problem but for what you have described, you do not live in the US, you only use the Green Card as a "Visa" to enter every time you want.

Again the purpose of the Green Card is to live in the US. If you do not intend on living in the US why dont you renounce your green card and just get a Visitors Visa?

You should really appreciate the opportunity the IO at POE gave you of entering again in the US as a Resident and he did not refer you to an Immigration Court. If I were you I will just forget about traveling again for a good time and "settle in the US" get a job, pay taxes, "LIVE" here. and try to apply for US citizenship as soon as you fulfill the requirements.

Only having a US passport you are exempt from those travel restrictions. As a Green Card holder you are not allowed to be traveling for more that 6 months (I know you say you did not) but your continous travels outside and extended periods abroad suggests you have broken your Residency in US.

So be careful, settle down and I would not travel again if you want to maintain your GC. Or just renounce your Green Card and apply for a B1 visa so you can come in as a visitor whenever you please.

Good luck to you
 
SD0001 said:
Quite frankly I do not know what you want people to tell you. To be honest, the Green Card is for people that "Reside" in the US. That means, lives, works, have a life. Traveling is allowed and is not a problem but for what you have described, you do not live in the US, you only use the Green Card as a "Visa" to enter every time you want.

Again the purpose of the Green Card is to live in the US. If you do not intend on living in the US why dont you renounce your green card and just get a Visitors Visa?

You should really appreciate the opportunity the IO at POE gave you of entering again in the US as a Resident and he did not refer you to an Immigration Court. If I were you I will just forget about traveling again for a good time and "settle in the US" get a job, pay taxes, "LIVE" here. and try to apply for US citizenship as soon as you fulfill the requirements.

Only having a US passport you are exempt from those travel restrictions. As a Green Card holder you are not allowed to be traveling for more that 6 months (I know you say you did not) but your continous travels outside and extended periods abroad suggests you have broken your Residency in US.

So be careful, settle down and I would not travel again if you want to maintain your GC. Or just renounce your Green Card and apply for a B1 visa so you can come in as a visitor whenever you please.

Good luck to you
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right that If you get green card from US embassy for permanent resident then it means that you are a citizen of that country so it might be happen that your green card will be taken away if you are travelling frequently outside US.
 
Me07 said:
Hello, any and all opinion will be appreciated.
I got my green card April 2007, travelled out of the country for few days and returned a couple of times. after 30 months, 2009 summer, i have been spending more time out of the US and returning every three to four months, stay for a few day and then leave. Always spend a month or two during summer though.I was due to file for my citizenship last April but I figure it will be denied since I have been more out than in the country. On my return to the US this time I was stopped for secondary inspection by the immigration, after waiting for like an hour the officer called me and informed me that my travel history shows that I don't live in the US, that if I continue like this my green card could be taken away. I was so scared that i didnt use my return ticket. I have been here since December 2012, I was suppose to return end of Dec. that is my story, my question now is if I travel at the end of Feb for like three week will I face the same problem on my return.? Can my green card be taken away even if I don't spend more than 4 months out of the country at a time? I plan to stay back in the US now, work toward getting my citizenship and just travel out for few weeks moving forward. I buy things from the US and sell when I travel. Please advice. I will really like to hear from you all. Thanks.
Click to expand...

1. What are you doing for living and where do you work?
2. Do you have a residence in the U.S., meas rented house, apartment etc.?
3. Did you file your taxes?

I see a good chance that your greencard is gone pretty soon when you travel again. You definitely not maintain residency in the U.S.
 
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