Warning at POE :(

[Dr.Sailor 0]

Here is my story..

I'm a physician in training.. I was planning to apply for training in the US and I was advised to get a green card first as my wife is a US citizen (It is SUPER difficult for foriegn doctors to find training spots in the US). Anyway I applied to both Canada and USA (Canada is even more difficult but I had to maximize my chances). Few days after my GC card interview I know that I was accepted in Canada so given the above mentioned I accepted the offer immediatly (medical training is much more valuable to me than a green card). After 2 months I received my green card and I did my firt landing in the US in June 2010. Being a physicin in training makes you very busy with few off days. I don't have the chance to enter the US. 9 months from my initial entry I decided to go to apply for SSN and open a bank account. The visa officer did not like it being away for such period and warned that I may lose my LPR status and advised to get a reentry permit and wrote that on my passport! He said I can apply for the permit while im "outside the US" (which proves his ignorance or mine).

What should I do now? I don't think it is possible to apply for a reentry while im in Canada and I don't have the time to wait in the US as it needs at least a month for the initial acceptance. Is there anything I can do to keep my green card or it is better for me to abounden it? Im planing to come tolive in the US after 2-3 years for a subspeciality training that why I would like to keep it...

Any help PLEASE...

[Anh map 2,098]

If you do not spend most of your time residing in the US you will likely lose your LPR status (green card). When you are ready to move to the US have your spouse petition for a visa again.

Good luck in your training and studies.

[Harsh_77 718]

LPR is for ppl who want to stay in US for major portion of the year.

Officer at POE does not care when you open a bank account or register for SSN, all he is looking for how many months did you spend in country when you have LPR.

From your account it seems you were out of US after getting your LPR, which is a no no.

So yes if you want to maintain your LPR status either you must stay in the country for major portion of the year or you will have to wait for however long it takes to obtain the permission for longer stay out of US and continue your LPR status.

[himher 634]

They warn everybody LOL. Keep it within 6 months from now on or get the re-entry permit.

You CAN apply for a re-entry permit from anywhere using the US residence address that you are required to, at all times, have. You just have to be in the US for the biometrics.

If you do not have a US address and you just discovered that you need one then you will be dinged for not updating your address. Fix that before you apply for a re-entry permit.

You do not have to be physically present most of the time, but you do, at all times, have to demonstrate that you have and maintain a US residence and that you have and maintain (significant) ties to the US.

Good luck

Here is my story..

I'm a physician in training.. I was planning to apply for training in the US and I was advised to get a green card first as my wife is a US citizen (It is SUPER difficult for foriegn doctors to find training spots in the US). Anyway I applied to both Canada and USA (Canada is even more difficult but I had to maximize my chances). Few days after my GC card interview I know that I was accepted in Canada so given the above mentioned I accepted the offer immediatly (medical training is much more valuable to me than a green card). After 2 months I received my green card and I did my firt landing in the US in June 2010. Being a physicin in training makes you very busy with few off days. I don't have the chance to enter the US. 9 months from my initial entry I decided to go to apply for SSN and open a bank account. The visa officer did not like it being away for such period and warned that I may lose my LPR status and advised to get a reentry permit and wrote that on my passport! He said I can apply for the permit while im "outside the US" (which proves his ignorance or mine).

What should I do now? I don't think it is possible to apply for a reentry while im in Canada and I don't have the time to wait in the US as it needs at least a month for the initial acceptance. Is there anything I can do to keep my green card or it is better for me to abounden it? Im planing to come tolive in the US after 2-3 years for a subspeciality training that why I would like to keep it...

Any help PLEASE...

Edited April 29, 2011 by himher

[rika60607 215]

And your wife is... in Canada? US?

You can apply for re-entry permit and receive it abroad in the US embassy or consulate in Canada.

But if you plan to stay in Canada for many years and your wife is with you in Canada and you do not have a home in US, then you may lose GC regardless of having a re-entry permit or not.

Here is my story..

I'm a physician in training.. I was planning to apply for training in the US and I was advised to get a green card first as my wife is a US citizen

[davidid 0]

Hi Dr. Sailor,

What POE did you arrive at ?

[himher 634]

Yah the only difficult (if you are out of country) requirement on the entry permit is doing biometrics in the US.

We kept the GC for about a year and a half while working overseas and it was such a pain in the azz to maintain it we finally just turned it in at the consulate.

It can be done, but maintaining ties to the US means bank accounts, property, US address, vehicles/current drivers license, stuff like that - all tied to a single residence addressed to your green card. For us, it was too much trouble and we finally turned in the GC and have had a year of peace and USCIS worry free quiet.

And your wife is... in Canada? US?

You can apply for re-entry permit and receive it abroad in the US embassy or consulate in Canada.

But if you plan to stay in Canada for many years and your wife is with you in Canada and you do not have a home in US, then you may lose GC regardless of having a re-entry permit or not.

[davidid 0]

Hi himher,

did you every apply for a US non immigrant visa agan after you turned in your green card ?