Maintain Your Green Card

One of the most common questions investors and other green card holders ask is: how many days in a year do I need to be in the U.S. in order to keep my green card? Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer to the question.

First, INA §101(a)(13)(C)(ii) states that a permanent resident shall not be deemed as seeking admission to the U.S. unless the permanent resident "has been absent from the United States for a continuous period in excess of 180 days." What this means is a permanent resident may be deemed inadmissible and denied entry to the U.S. if he or she falls under one of the inadmissibility categories during his or her absence. In that sense, a green card can be lost for being outside the U.S. for more than 180 days.

Second, 8 C.F.R. §211.1(a)(2) states that a permanent resident may not return to the U.S. with his or her green card alone if the permanent resident has been absent from the U.S. for more than one year. The resident either has to present a reentry-permit (I-131) or a SB-1 visa issued by the consulate along with the green card to apply for admission.  Thus, without receiving a re-entry permit before leaving the U.S. for more than one year, the permanent resident may lose his or her status to return to the U.S.

Third, the State Department, in its Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), focuses on the intent and actions of the alien rather than the time outside the U.S. to decide whether an alien has abandoned his or her green card status.  The State Department lists the following documents to support the claim that a permanent resident has "an unrelinquished residence" in the U.S. and whether a SB-1 visa should be issued. This list can be found in 9 FAM 42.22 N1.3.:

(1) A driver's license issued within the past year and reflecting the same address as that recorded on the Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Record;

(2) The name and address of the U.S. employer and evidence that a salary has been paid within a reasonable period of time;

(3) Evidence of children’s enrollment in a U.S. school;

(4) Evidence that extended visit abroad was caused by unforeseen circumstances;

(5) Evidence of a predetermined termination date; i.e., graduation, employment contract expiration, etc.;

(6) Evidence of having filed U.S. income tax return(s) for the past year(s); and

(7) Evidence of property ownership, whether real or personal, in the United States.

Moreover, the State Department also states that the following factors show that a permanent resident has abandoned his/her permanent residency and should be taken into account (9 FAM 42.22 N1.4) (emphasis added):

(1) Extended or frequent absences from the United States;

(2) Disposition of property or business affiliations in the United States;

(3) Family, property, or business ties abroad;

(4) Conduct while outside the United States such as, employment by a foreign employer, voting in foreign elections, running for political office in a foreign country, etc.; or

(5) Failure to file U.S. income tax returns.

Although the above factors are used by the State Department in issuing SB-1 visa for returning resident alien, there is no reason to believe that USCIS and CBP officers would not use these factors to consider the green card status of an alien.  The fact that extended or frequent absences from the U.S. is a factor showing abandonment of permanent residency is particularly worrying. 

In sum, there is an absolute answer to the question of how long an alien can be outside the U.S. before losing his or her green card status.  The best answer one can give is: avoid unnecessary extended foreign travels as much as possible and when such travels are necessary, get a re-entry permit before leaving.  On the other hand, the permanent resident should continue to pay taxes and maintain properties in the U.S. to maximize his or her tie to the U.S.

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

投資者和其他持綠卡者常問的其中一個問題是： 在一年中我需要有多少天留在美國才能保住我的綠卡？ 不幸地，這個問題並沒有一個絕對的答案。

首先，INA §101(a)(13)(c)(ii)闡明，除非永久居民連續180天在美國境外，否則永久居民在入境時不會被視作重新申請進入美國。換句話說，如果永久居民在美國境外時墮入其中一個被禁止入境的類別，在美國境外超過180天會可能令該永久居民的入境申請被拒，失去綠卡資格。

其次， 8 C.F.R. §211.1(a)(2)闡明，如果永久居民離開美國超過一年，他們不可以單靠他們的綠卡進入美國。永久居民必須在入境時出示「再入境許可證」(reentry permit)或領事館發出的SB-1簽證才能申請入境。 因此，離開美國超過一年，永久居民也可能失去回美的資格。

第三，美國國務院在其外交事務指南(FAM)中提到，在決定永久居民是否放棄了他們的綠卡身份，領事應集中於永久居民的意圖和行為而非在美國以外的時間。國務院在9 FAM 42.22 N1.3列出以下因素來證明永久居民在美有「無意圖放棄的家」 (unlinquished residence)：

(1) 在過去一年簽發的駕駛執照上的地址與I-94出入境記錄上的地址相符；
(2) 永久居民在美國的僱主的姓名和地址以及在一個合理的時間内曾發放薪水；
(3) 永久居民的孩子在美國學校註冊及就讀；
(4) 永久居民需要長時間在美國境外是基於無法預見的情况；
(5) 離境前有「預定的終止日期」; 如畢業、就業的合同期限等等；
(6) 在過去有在美國繳税；以及
(7) 在美國擁有資產及物業。

國務院在9 FAM 42.22 N1.也列出下列因素為考慮永久居民放棄其身份的證明 ：
(1) 經常或長時間離開美國；
(2)售賣其在美國的物業或生意;
(3)在海外有家庭、物業或者生意;
(4)其在美國境外的行為，包括在美國境外為外國僱主工作，在外國選舉中投票，在外國參加競選或者
(5)沒有在美國繳税。

雖然上述是國務院考慮簽發SB-1簽證的因素，但是沒有理由相信移民局和邊境官員不會使用這些因素考慮永久居民的身份。總之，永久居民應盡量避免多餘或長時間在美國境外的旅遊，而當這些旅遊是必要的時候，應在離開之前申請「再入境許可證」。另一方面，永久居民應該繼續在美國繳税和持有物業，強化他們在美國的聯繫。

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。