Do I Have to Stay in the Country as a Permanent Resident in Palm Beach Gardens?

Once you obtain your green card and become a permanent resident, you might feel less pressure to adhere to the various immigration rules and regulations in the United States. As you take a more relaxed stance on these requirements, you might be tempted to travel outside of the country. But is this even possible as a permanent resident? Do you have to stay in the United States for the foreseeable future? Can an immigration lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens help you apply for citizenship?

You Can Still Go on Vacation

As a permanent resident, you still have the right to go on vacation. Most trips won’t cause any issues. You can take time off to visit your family in a different country during the winter or summer holidays. You can also travel for work without any issues. As a permanent resident, you might be subject to additional screening or questioning when re-entering the country compared to a full citizen.

Try to Avoid Extended Trips Out of the Country

While vacations are certainly allowed, you might want to avoid staying outside of the country for an extended period of time. Issues may occur if you take a trip that lasts six months or more. In this situation, officials may determine that you have broken or “abandoned” your continuous residence in the United States. This may make it challenging to apply for full citizenship at a later date. A trip lasting more than six months may also subject you to additional questioning when you try to re-enter the United States.

Trips that last one year or more may result in additional issues. If you remain outside of the country for a year or more, you’ll need a re-entry permit when you come back to the United States.

How Does This Affect My Citizenship Application?

These extended absences could affect your citizenship application. If you apply for full citizenship and USCIS officials discover these extended absences, they might reject your application for full citizenship. This isn’t the end of the world, and you may simply need to wait a little longer before re-applying.

Officials consider the “bigger picture” when assessing your citizenship application. Even if you never took a trip that lasted longer than six months, you could still face issues if you took multiple, shorter trips. For example, you might have taken numerous one-month trips. If the total amount of time you spent outside of the country is too high, your application could still be denied. Consider planning out your vacations with help from an immigration lawyer to avoid unwanted issues in the future.

Can a Palm Beach Gardens Immigration Lawyer Help With Citizenship Applications? 

As a permanent resident, you might need to maintain continuous permanent residence if you want to eventually apply for full citizenship. While you may have the right to go on vacation from time to time, you could face issues if you leave the country for extended periods. Whether you’re planning your next vacation or you’re struggling to gain full citizenship, a Palm Beach Gardens immigration lawyer at Devore Law Group may be able to shed more light on this subject.

Sources: 

uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-d-chapter-3

help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article1687?language=en_US