Monday, December 17, 2012

Frequent Travel Abroad and Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status

From AILA, 12/17/2012


There is a common misunderstanding that simply returning to the United States once every six months will preclude a finding that one has abandoned his or her lawful permanent residency. Whether an LPR has abandoned permanent residency, however, is not based solely upon the length of time spent outside of the U.S.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) representatives have confirmed that "CBP officers are less focused on the length of time abroad and more on where does the person actually live." According to the representatives, CBP officers will look at the totality of the circumstances, including "how many years the person has lived in the U.S.; whether the person is employed in the U.S. or abroad; where family members live; [and] whether U.S. taxes have been paid."

CBP representatives have also indicated that "[d]omicile is the major issue for WAS CBP inspectors, so the applicant should have evidence with him/her of where s/he lives."

The CBP Inspector’s Field Manual (“IFM”) similarly explains that the length of time spent abroad is not the sole indicator of abandonment. The IFM notes that other indicators of possible abandonment are “employment abroad, immediate family members who are not permanent residents, arrival on a charter flight where most passengers are non-residents with return passage, lack of a fixed address in the U.S., or frequent prolonged absences from the U.S.” In questionable cases, the IFM advises officers “to ask for other documentation to substantiate residence, such as a driver’s license and employer identification cards.”