Urgent Answers Needed Regarding My Study Abroad After GC

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Hi:

Would you please give me some insight regarding my risks/feasibilities of studying abroad?

I got my Green Card on September 22, 2009. I left US on October 27, 2009 to visit my family overseas in Asia. On December 5, 2009, I arrived in New Zealand (from Asia) where I am accepted as a medical student. School starts in February, 2010.

I am supposed to graduate in November 2012 (3-year degree program). After that I will immediately return to USA in December 2012.

I plan to spend "2-week" periods (school break) in April of 2010, 2011 and 2012 back in USA. Other consecutive "2-month" periods I will spend in USA are:

December 2010 and January 2011
December 2011 and January 2012

So the total time I will spend in USA is approximately 2 and half months. But I am making a visit to USA at least once with each 6 month period.

I plan to bring school officials proof/certification/transcripts with me each time when I enter US with my GC.

Question: Would I jepardize my GC? :confused:

Please give me some precise answers. Thank you so much!! If the risks are too big, I'll just give up going to school in New Zealand.
 
You need to apply for a reentry permit the next time you are in the US. If you don't get one, your GC will be in jeopardy. Although you technically don't need a reentry permit if you stay outside the US for less than a year, it is a different story when you are taking multiple consecutive long trips. The reentry permit allows you stay outside the US for 2 years (in reality, more like 2 years + 4 months, as it takes a few months to get approved, and the 2 year validity starts from the approval date).

You need to be in the US to apply for the permit and give fingerprints, but once that is done you can leave the US and there is the option for the permit to be delivered to a US consulate in NZ.

Even with a reentry permit, if you are spending only 2 months per year in the US, it is likely your citizenship eligibility will be delayed. Those 3 years in NZ will probably not count towards the 5 years you need for US citizenship.

In addition, there are substantial obstacles for graduates of non-US medical schools who want to practice in the US (even if you have a green card or US citizenship). You may find yourself unable to work for a long time when you return, or being unable to get accepted to a postgraduate US medical program to specialize in your desired specialty, due to US medical grads being given preference. I hope you have done the relevant research and spoken to other doctors who graduated from non-US medical schools within the last 10-15 years, especially doctors from NZ medical schools who are now practicing in the US.
 
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Returning to US in Late June?

Hi Jackolantern:

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!! I was clueless.

I am going to give up schooling in New Zealand. Now, I plan to return to the US on June 25, 2010.

As I wrote before in the original posting: I got my Green Card on September 22, 2009. I left US on October 27, 2009. That means that I will have just about 8 consecutive months outside of the US when I return on June 25, 2010.

Question: I should be able to return to US safely, correct? :confused:

After I return on June 25, 2010, I plan to stay in the US for at least 7 or 8 months straight without traveling overseas again.

Thank you!!!
 
Need some feedback please

:confused: Could someone please shine some light to my last inquiry? Greatly appreciate it!
 
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