Can I Leave The Country After Applying For Green Card?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can I leave the country after applying for green card? If you need to leave the country while waiting on your green card,

you can request a travel document from the USCIS

. They may opt to issue you an Emergency Advance Parole document, which lets you leave the country and return without a visa.

Can you travel if your green card is in process?


If you submit the Form I-131 with your green card application and it is approved by the USCIS you are essentially authorized to travel in and out of the US while your green card is being processed

.

Can you travel within the US while waiting for your green card?

What documentation do I need to fly domestically within the U.S.? If you do not have an unexpired green card or an unexpired EAD,

you may use a border crossing card or a foreign government-issued passport to fly domestically within the U.S.

Can I leave the US while waiting for adjustment of status?

If You Travel While Awaiting an Adjustment Interview


You can travel, but must use great care

. If you simply get up and go without getting official permission (called “advance parole,” described below), the law says you will have given up (or abandoned, in USCIS terminology) your adjustment of status application.

Can I travel abroad while waiting for my green card?

Traveling abroad while awaiting your green card


The travel document allows someone living in the U.S. while awaiting their green card to travel abroad without nullifying their green card application

. For a family-based green card, it takes anywhere from 10 months to several years or more to process a green card.

Can I travel when my green card is pending?

Traveling While Your Green Card Application Is Pending

As a result,

you would have to re-file your paperwork and start the process over

. Additionally, you may be unable to return to the country or even face deportation after you've returned.

What can you do while waiting for green card?

If you applied for or are considering applying for a green card in the U.S, you can also

apply for a work permit

. This will allow your authorization to work legally while your green card application is pending.

Can I travel after I 485 approval?

You can travel and your pending I485 (with or without Advance parole) will not be abandoned if you have one of these visa types to re-enter the USA: Work visas like H1B and its dependent H4, L-1, and its dependent L2. K-3 spouse or a K-4 child of a US citizen.

How long does it take for green card process?

It takes

7 to 33 months

to process a Green Card application.

The Green Card processing time depends on the type of Green Card you are applying for, the location of the processing office and other factors. Family Preference Green Cards processing takes from 1 to 10 years depending on the wait time and yearly caps.

Can I travel outside US while I-485 is pending?

If You Need to Travel

Generally, if you have a pending Form I-485 and you leave the United States without an advance parole document,

you will have abandoned your application

. For further information, see our Travel Documents page.

Does USCIS know when I leave the country?


Yes, they almost certainly do know you've left

. The US processes passport details for all air passengers through a system called APIS, and ties that to the electronic I-94 (arrival and departure record). You can check your US arrival and departure history online.

Can you leave the country with a pending I-485?

If your I-485 Adjustment of Status application is pending,

traveling anywhere outside the United States (including brief trips to Canada or Mexico) can lead to the denial of your Form I-485

.

How long does it take for green card to arrive after approval?

When your application for permanent residency is approved, USCIS will mail you a welcome notice

within 30 days

. After you receive the welcome notice, you should receive your Green Card in the mail sometime in the next 30 days.

How long does it take to get green card after I 485 approval?

The Form I-485 processing time ends when you receive your permanent residence. This usually takes 8 to 14 months after filing. If your application is approved, USCIS will mail your green card to you

shortly after your adjustment of status interview

.

What to do after I 485 is approved?

After your adjustment of status (I-485) petition is approved, you (and your dependents who applied with you) need to

go to the nearby U.S. Citizenship and Services (USCIS) local office to get your passport stamped

.

How long does green card process take 2021?

It may take

up to 90 days

from the date you entered to receive your permanent resident card. You entered the U.S. using your immigrant visa, You paid the immigrant visa fee AFTER you entered, It may take up to 90 days from the date you made your payment to receive your permanent resident card.

What is the easiest way to get a green card?

The simplest way to get a Green Card is

through the Green Card Lottery

. The U.S. Department of State gives away 55,000 Green Cards through the Diversity Visa Program every year.

How long can a green card holder stay out of the country 2021?

Generally, you can stay outside the U.S. for

up to one year

. If you have been issued a Re-Entry Permit, which applicants must apply for while in the U.S., you can stay outside the United States as long as your Re-Entry Permit has not expired.

How long do I have to stay in US to keep green card?

Leaving the United States for less than

six months

is usually not a problem. An absence of six to 12 months triggers heightened USCIS scrutiny, and an absence of more than 12 months leads to a “rebuttable presumption” that LPR status has been abandoned.

Can I apply for US citizenship after 3 years of green card?

You may file Form N-400 ninety (90) calendar days before you complete your permanent residence requirement if your eligibility for naturalization is based upon being a: • Permanent resident for at least 5 years; or •

Permanent resident for at least 3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen

.

Is I 485 same as green card?


Form I-485 is officially called the “Adjustment of Status Application” and is the official green card application

. Certain immigrants who are in the United States, including special immigrants like asylees, can submit an adjustment of status application to change their immigration status to a green card.

Who gets a 10 year green card?


If you got your residency through your employer or your parent or adult child or brother or sister

you will be issued the regular 10-year card. Also if you get residency through marriage and have been married more than two years at the time you are granted then you also will get the regular 10-year card.

Can I travel while I 485 is in process?

If You Need to Travel

Generally, if you have a pending Form I-485 and you leave the United States without an advance parole document,

you will have abandoned your application

. For further information, see our Travel Documents page.

How long does green card process take?

It takes

7 to 33 months

to process a Green Card application.

The Green Card processing time depends on the type of Green Card you are applying for, the location of the processing office and other factors. Family Preference Green Cards processing takes from 1 to 10 years depending on the wait time and yearly caps.

Can I travel while I 140 is in process?


Having a 140 does not inhibit you from travel

. It also does not indicate that you intend to immigrate.

What is the processing time for green card?

It may take

up to 90 days

from the date you entered to receive your permanent resident card. You entered the U.S. using your immigrant visa, You paid the immigrant visa fee AFTER you entered, It may take up to 90 days from the date you made your payment to receive your permanent resident card.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.