VOLCANO flight trouble and US citizenship, pls advice

[gigant 0]

Hi,

I am a US permanent resident, currrently been out of the US for about 5 months;

Last week my return flight to comeback to US has been canceled due to the volcano eruption;

Now I scheduled another flight but airlines does not guarantee availability on international flights;

I am really worried not to make it on time within the 180 days rule;

If I cannot make it will my permanent residency and consequently my citizenship future application be over?

Will my green card be taken away as I re enter the US?

I have documents showing my original scheduled flight reservation within the 180 days frame: could I use this

as proof to show USCIS what happened?

Please advice

thank you very much

[Travelbugs 3]

I just found that online...maybe this can give you some information on what you could do...It's for foreign nationals in the US, but they recommend getting in touch with your nearest USCIS office....maybe a trip to the US Consulate would be a good move in your case

USCIS Volcano

Edited April 21, 2010 by Travelbugs

[warlord 73]

Hi,

I am a US permanent resident, currrently been out of the US for about 5 months;

Last week my return flight to comeback to US has been canceled due to the volcano eruption;

Now I scheduled another flight but airlines does not guarantee availability on international flights;

I am really worried not to make it on time within the 180 days rule;

If I cannot make it will my permanent residency and consequently my citizenship future application be over?

Will my green card be taken away as I re enter the US?

I have documents showing my original scheduled flight reservation within the 180 days frame: could I use this

as proof to show USCIS what happened?

Please advice

thank you very much

If you satisfy the requirements and are not doing back to back trips outside of the US then you will be fine. The 6 months thing is only a guideline to make a point where after being out more then 6 months, you would need to prove to the IO that you maintained continous residency. Before that 6 months, the IO would need to prove it.

You could be out 8 months, but have strong sufficient ties that you can prove you didn't break your residency and be fine. Or you could take a lot of 5 month trips with only a week or two back in the US and be found to not have only broken your residency but put your Green Card in Jeapordy. Or you simple could be out for maybe only 3 months, but living and working in another country with no ties to the US and be totally screwed.

So no, if you maintain your US residency, and are not like the situations above, you won't have anything to worry about...