Author：David Enterline（Senior Legal Consultant to HW Wealth Succession Family Office / American Immigration Lawyer）

If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident (“LPR”) and need to travel outside the U.S for a temporary trip abroad, you generally do not need to apply for any special document to return to the United States. Your valid Form I-551, more commonly known as a “Green Card”, is usually the only document you need to return following a brief trip abroad. However, if you intend or believe that you will be outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, you can consider applying for a reentry permit.

The reentry permit tells the U.S. government that you are going abroad for an extended period of time but still intend to maintain your permanent residence. The use of a re-entry permit does not 100% guarantee readmission to the U.S., but it is strong prima facie evidence of the holder’s intent to remain a permanent resident of the United States. With a valid re-entry permit, an LPR should be able to remain outside the U.S. for up to 2 years and return as long the re-entry permit has not expired.

Of course, upon reentry, the LPR should also be able to demonstrate that he or she has maintained other ties to the U.S. that show permanent resident intent. These can include, but are not limited to, maintaining a residence such as a home or apartment, filing U.S. tax returns, maintaining insurance, maintaining a driver’s license in the state of residence, immediate family members staying in the U.S., bank accounts, etc...