What happens if a green card holder leaves the U.S. for a long period of time?

If a green card holder leaves the United States for an extended period of time, it is known as an “abandonment of permanent residence”. Generally, a green card holder must have continuous physical residence in the United States in order to maintain his or her legal status. If a green card holder is absent from the United States for more than 6 months, or for continuous periods of more than one year, there is a presumption that the green card holder has abandoned his or her permanent residence. If the green card holder has been absent from the United States for an extended period of time, they may face difficulties when returning to the United States. This can include being denied re-entry or, in some cases, having their green card revoked. In Virginia, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services may require additional documentation from the green card holder to prove that their absence from the country was not an abandonment of permanent residence. Green card holders who plan to leave the United States for an extended period of time may be able to obtain a re-entry permit to protect against the potential of an abandonment of permanent residence. Re-entry permits can be obtained from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in Virginia. A re-entry permit allows the green card holder to remain outside of the United States for up to two years without being in danger of abandoning their permanent residence.

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Si un titular de tarjeta verde deja los Estados Unidos por un largo período de tiempo, los cambios jurídicos pueden afectar la condición de residencia permanente que se otorgó con la tarjeta. Los titulares de tarjetas verdes son ciudadanos permanentes autorizados para trabajar y vivir en los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, esto no significa que tengan una residencia permanente permanente e ininterrumpida. Si un titular de tarjeta verde sale del país por más de 180 días, la residencia permanente puede ser suspendida. Esto significa que, al regresar, tendrá que volver a aplicar para la residencia permanente. Por el contrario, un extranjero que obtiene la visa H-2B para trabajar temporalmente en Virginia, no tendrá que aplicar para la residencia permanente al volver a los Estados Unidos. Esto es porque la H-2B es una visa temporal para trabajo y no tendrá que aplicar para una residencia permanente si vuelve al país dentro del período especificado en la visa.

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What happens if a green card holder leaves the U.S. for a long period of time?

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