What to do with a green card I no longer need?

[Shub 78]

If I leave the US before my green card expires with no intention to maintain my PR status, what do I do with the green card (as in, the physical card itself) ?

Must I inform USCIS? Must I return the card, or simply destroy it maybe?

It just seems to me like a bad idea to up and leave and not tell anybody. I realize they'll know that I left anyway, but if/when I come back to reapply for permanent residence somewhere down the line, I don't want any trouble then.

For the record, I'm married to a US citizen but we're moving to my country and my 2-year green card will expire this January.

Edited October 12, 2009 by Shub

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Shub,

so you are ready to give up on your marriage and your residency, just because your wife doesn't want to follow you to your home country?

Best of luck to you.

[john_and_marlene 162]

Shub,

so you are ready to give up on your marriage and your residency, just because your wife doesn't want to follow you to your home country?

Best of luck to you.

Bob... Bob .... Bob .... read carefully. They are both moving to Switzerland--they aren't giving up their marriage.

[Shub 78]

Shub,

so you are ready to give up on your marriage and your residency, just because your wife doesn't want to follow you to your home country?

Best of luck to you.

Bob... Bob .... Bob .... read carefully. They are both moving to Switzerland--they aren't giving up their marriage.

The residency I can do without -- and this marriage isn't breaking up that easily

We're fine really. Still pondering what's the best way to go. It looks like we really are moving though, so I'd like to cover my bases with immigration since I do expect to come back to the US long-term in the future.

[NycBra 4]

If I leave the US before my green card expires with no intention to maintain my PR status, what do I do with the green card (as in, the physical card itself) ?

Must I inform USCIS? Must I return the card, or simply destroy it maybe?

It just seems to me like a bad idea to up and leave and not tell anybody. I realize they'll know that I left anyway, but if/when I come back to reapply for permanent residence somewhere down the line, I don't want any trouble then.

For the record, I'm married to a US citizen but we're moving to my country and my 2-year green card will expire this January.

In my opinion, you should inform once you have already left and your card expired. When are you moving and when does the card expire? Remember, if you are abroad and for some emergency you need to come to US (while the card is valid) you can still use it.

What I think you should do is: once the card expires and you are abroad, you should send a letter to USCIS informing you did not submit a I-751 because you are out of the country and will be for few years. Therefore, you would no longer be considered a permanent resident. I think you should state in your letter that you have destroyed the green card. (I don't recommend sending it back, it could get lost in the mail, etc).

Anyway, that's what I would do. Maybe you should call USCIS and ask a representative what is the appropriate procedure.

[TracyTN 237]

Personally I'd do what I could to stick it out and apply for citizenship - if there's even a slight chance you may one day want to come back to the US.

[Dakine 26]

You fill out form I-407 if you want to give up your GC.

This link is for the UK. I imagine you will submit yours in whatever country you will be living in.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/dhs/uscis/abandon.html

[walls1010 3]

Personally I'd do what I could to stick it out and apply for citizenship - if there's even a slight chance you may one day want to come back to the US.

agree

Shub: giving up your gc will start you to file a k3 again if you and your wife decide to come back

here. having a dual citizenship is the best way.

[fozzie 41]

From the timeline in appears that in just over one year you could apply for citizenship. This would allow you to come and go as you please...its why I will eventually apply, so I can leave and come back.

If you have to move then follow the link Dakine gave, do it by the book so it is easier when/if you come back.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Shub,

the confusion here is that you're in two different threads, so I did nowhere read that your wife now does in fact want to follow you to Switzerland and others can't possibly know that you do NOT want to become a USC.

Still, if I were to walk in your shoes, knowing that you have a decent income, I'd do nothing. I'd come over here as many times as it takes to get the I-751 ROC done and get my 10-year GC. That should be a home-run for you, as it is for anybody filing jointly.

THEN . . . I would fly over to the States as often as I can in order to maintain my residency. Keep in mind you can pull the "up to 1 year" thing with reentry permit, then, early in 2012, you can see how to cross the bridge when you get there.

I don't see any reason to jump the gun right now.

Just my 2 cents.

[htslogistics-john 1]

why don't you just get a re entry permit see how life outside the U.S. goes with family than after a year or so you decide whether or not you want to abandon your permanent residency, it will be expensive to reapply and pay all that money again.

good luck

[Chris_Жанна 11]

If I leave the US before my green card expires with no intention to maintain my PR status, what do I do with the green card (as in, the physical card itself) ?

Must I inform USCIS? Must I return the card, or simply destroy it maybe?

It just seems to me like a bad idea to up and leave and not tell anybody. I realize they'll know that I left anyway, but if/when I come back to reapply for permanent residence somewhere down the line, I don't want any trouble then.

For the record, I'm married to a US citizen but we're moving to my country and my 2-year green card will expire this January.

You can sell it to my fiancee (J/K)

[D&R 0]

What to do with a green card I no longer need?

I'll take it off your hands

[naksah 1]

If I leave the US before my green card expires with no intention to maintain my PR status, what do I do with the green card (as in, the physical card itself) ?

Must I inform USCIS? Must I return the card, or simply destroy it maybe?

It just seems to me like a bad idea to up and leave and not tell anybody. I realize they'll know that I left anyway, but if/when I come back to reapply for permanent residence somewhere down the line, I don't want any trouble then.

For the record, I'm married to a US citizen but we're moving to my country and my 2-year green card will expire this January.

can't you stick it up for another year until u get your citizenship?

That's money wasted right there. Next time, I say you think not only twice but thrice to make sure that relocation is what u want.

Check the USCIS website, they have all the info you need regarding this topic.

[Shub 78]

Just Bob,

Thank you for your concern regarding my situation.

What you're saying sounds nice on paper but it isn't viable, if only because, even though I can appear in the US every now and then throughout the year, it will be readily apparent that I spend most of the year outside of the US, which breaks the requirement of continuous residence that is imposed on permanent residents and naturalization applicants. It isn't enough to come back to the US before 6 months are up, 5 months here and 5 months there still add up to 10 in a year, and they look at total time of absence rather than continuous periods of absence. It would be too easy otherwise.

As much as I'd like to apply for citizenship, if only for reasons of convenience, and like I've mentioned before... having a job outside of the US I would inevitably be spending most of my time outside of the US, which would make me ineligible to apply for citizenship. I can't expect them not to notice that I've been out of the country, nor can I consider lying my way through this. I get 5 weeks vacation per year and when filling out the naturalization forms you have to tell them how long you've been out of the country. I can lie about it or omit the truth, either way it's a bad idea.

The simplistic schemes I've envisioned to try and work around it (such as entering the country with my green card and leaving discreetly through the back door using a different passport (I already have dual citizenship) hoping they think I never left) still end with the same conclusions: it's a terrible idea, they can't possibly be dumb enough to fall for it, and I shouldn't even be thinking of "working around it" if I want to stay out of trouble -- and God knows I don't want any trouble.

Regardless of what travel arrangements I made, there's the problem that my tax returns would conspicuously show that my income does not come from the US, and tax returns are a key piece of documentation you are to submit with your application for naturalization.

So once again we are back on the slippery slopes of immigration fraud and the discussion thereof, which are bad ideas as well.

I agree that it is money wasted right there; it is my fault for acting impetuously by taking a job abroad instead of waiting it out until I applied for citizenship the proper way, which was a mere year away. I regret it now but cannot go back because there are other issues at stake besides the simple fact that we are out of a source of income in the US.

It's a true pity and I fully realize the various issues and hardships involved in immigrating back to the US if and when we decide to do that, but I must either deal with it or pull the plug on everything, and it is too late for the latter. Immigrating again will no doubt be a pain in the neck but what we've done before we can do again if need be. Not that it was such a problem for us anyway, other than cost and lengthiness.

Pursuant to all that, I don't see what would be the point of applying for removal of conditions anyway. You're right, I would surely be granted the 10-year green card. In fact I am not at all worried about that. But the approval wouldn't do me much good: even with reentry permits and regular trips to the US, again it would be apparent that for most of the year I am not physically present in the US and they'd be quick to revoke my status. Might as well not waste the $545 right?

Edited October 13, 2009 by Shub