I Was Outside the U.S. for More Than One Year as a Green Card Holder – Now What?

You find yourself at the airport, coming back to the U.S. as a permanent resident after years abroad. Unbeknownst to you, you weren’t supposed to be outside the U.S. for so long! After all, your green card is still valid. Read on for what you should do next and to ensure your permanent resident status isn’t revoked!

You’ve Been Outside the U.S. for More Than One Year and Your Green Card is Still Valid

Whatever the reason may be, you find yourself outside the U.S. for more than a year and you now need to go back to the U.S. Upon your return, you’ll likely be stopped by CBP and questioned about your lengthy departure. As a permanent resident, the U.S. is indeed supposed to be your main place of residence. But perhaps you left right as COVID hit or you had to take care of an ailing family member who required your care for longer than anticipated.

There are two options for CBP: 1) send you back on the next flight or 2) allow you to enter after submitting Form I-193. Here we’ll discuss the latter.

Form I-193: Waiver of Passport and/or Visa

CBP does not have the authority to revoke your lawful permanent residence (LPR) so they cannot make the determination upon your entry. However, if they think you’ve abandoned your permanent resident status because you’ve stayed outside the U.S. for too long, they can present Form I-193 for your signature.

Normally, Form I-193 is used to waive the requirement of a valid passport or visa to enter the U.S. Technically, as a green card holder, you do not have a “visa” to enter the U.S. and although CBP cannot revoke your LPR status they may deem that you were abroad for too long. Instead of sending you on the next plane back to the country you came from, they may admit you to the U.S. with the submission of Form I-193.

As of February 2025, the filing fee for this form is $695. You’ll pay this fee, submit the form with CBP, then enter the U.S. CBP will likely give you information about either filing a reentry permit or advise you to stay in the U.S. moving forward

You Paid the Fee, Submitted Form I-193, and Are Now in the U.S.

Great! You can now stay in the U.S. and maintain your LPR status until renewal, if your plan is to stay in the U.S. moving forward.

But what if you need to depart the U.S. again, for an extended period of time? If you need to be outside the U.S. for more than one year, or even up to six months, you should apply for a reentry permit before your next departure.

To learn more about reentry permits and how to apply, read our article: Reentry Permits – Staying Abroad as a Green Card Holder.

Conclusion

Whether you need to renew your green card or apply for a reentry permit, we recommend speaking with an immigration attorney to ensure your permanent resident status is maintained and protected!