Not moving right away- good or bad?!

[ssvanhuis512 0]

Once the green card arrives, do we have to move from Canada to the USA right away? We'd like to stay put until a decent job comes around!

If we stay in Canada the first 2 years of the 10 year green card, does that negatively impact renewing it?

Or are you expected to move the USA within 12 months of receiving the green card?

Thanks!

[teeak 224]

If you stay longer than six months outside of the USA then the border officials usually will hassle you with a lot of questions and tell you that a permanent green card is meant so that you can permanently live in the US.

If you stay longer than a year then your GC will be considered abandoned by the US government.

If you want to stay longer than a year then you can apply for a re-entry permit which would allow you to stay outside the US for up to 2 years.

Keep in mind, to become a US citizen, there are certain residency requirements so staying outside of the US for a long time may delay that.

[Hypnos 6,577]

A green card is for someone who wishes to live in the US. If you aren't living in the US then you aren't entitled to a green card.

If an LPR remains outside the US for at least a year and does not hold a re-entry permit then you will likely wind up losing it, and will be referred to immigration court when you next tried to re-enter the US.

[ssvanhuis512 0]

Thanks for answering!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Which type of Visa are you referring to?

[ssvanhuis512 0]

I-130 Visa- spousal one. I am a US citizen and I'm trying to get a green card for my husband. Time to get out of Canada!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I'd hop on over the Canadian forum....plenty of folks in the same scenario. You'll probably be interested in the pinned topics for establishing domicile etc...

Your husband doesn't get the actual GC in hand until he's activated it and moved to the US (you get a temp stamp equivalent to that prior to that) and there are most definitely limits on when the issued VISA expires if you don't use it.....its not opened ended

I-130 Visa- spousal one. I am a US citizen and I'm trying to get a green card for my husband. Time to get out of Canada!

[kamw 93]

You have to come within 6 months once you're approved. After which you can go back and forth as long as you aren't gone for more than a year.

That being said staying out for a extended period of time will sometimes cause issues when you try to re enter even if it hasn't been a year. As an LPR you should be living here.

[Tracy-->NY 40]

The date you need to enter the US by would be stamped on the visa in the passport. The date on which the medical is completed can also be tied to the visa expiry date.