Green card holder visiting the US while living abroad

[jbowen28 0]

I am a US citizen married to a Ukrainian citizen with a green card providing permanent residency in the US. We are thinking about retiring and living abroad in a foreign country ( e.g. Ecuador, Panama, etc ). Since we will both be living outside the US for more than 1 year, my wife's green card will become invalid. But we would like to visit my relatives in the US during the holidays. How can she reenter the US after her green card becomes invalid for temporary visits less than 6 months?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

She applies a tourist visa after relinquishing her GC.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Harpa Timsah

[Done--Really 331]

If she has the 10-year GC, she is very close to being able to file for citizenship...wait the few extra months for her to become a citizen, and then you can leave the country and never return with no problems, or come and go as you like. Don't let a few months screw up your life.

Edited June 27, 2013 by magical

[aaron2020 11,651]

If she has the 10-year GC, she is very close to being able to file for citizenship...wait the few extra months for her to become a citizen, and then you can leave the country and never return with no problems, or come and go as you like. Don't let a few months screw up your life.

+1

Get US citizenship before she heads off abroad. A US passport will allow her to leave and enter the US at will. Never have to deal with another US visa.

[Owen_London 65]

+1

Get US citizenship before she heads off abroad. A US passport will allow her to leave and enter the US at will. Never have to deal with another US visa.

And always have to deal with the IRS. For many people, gaining US citizenship is not a good idea if they don't intend to remain in the US.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Owen_London

[aaron2020 11,651]

And always have to deal with the IRS. For many people, gaining US citizenship is not a good idea if they don't intend to remain in the US.

There are many considerations when deciding to naturalize; among them are taxes and entering the US. Others would be access to Medicare and government benefits available to a USC surviving spouse but not to a non-resident foreign spouse. There are plenty of reasons to naturalize. Edited June 27, 2013 by aaron2020

[Owen_London 65]

There are many considerations when deciding to naturalize; among them are taxes and entering the US. Others would be access to Medicare and government benefits available to a USC surviving spouse but not to a non-resident foreign spouse. There are plenty of reasons to naturalize.

Sure. And in fact there are even some tax reasons to get US citizenship, i.e. the tax limit on estate taxes.

I don't think you said anything that disagreed with my statement, though.

[jbowen28 0]

I thank you all for your insightful comments. There is one other consideration that I failed to mention. The US and Ukraine do not allow dual citizenship between the two countries. Therefore, my wife would have to give up her Ukrainian citizenship for US citizenship. I am not sure what impact that would have except loss of Ukrainian social security payments and the need to obtain a Ukrainian visa to visit her relatives ( which, currently, is easier to obtain than a US tourist visa ).