Permanent residents can travel outside of the United States for an extended period of time by using a reentry permit. With a reentry permit, permanent residents do not have to worry about risking their permanent residence status by leaving the U.S. for a longer period of time than one year. A Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC can help you request a reentry permit that will allow you to travel abroad without the fear of losing your status as a permanent resident.
Without a reentry permit, a lawful permanent resident can generally travel abroad outside of the U.S. using just their Permanent Resident Card for a period of up to one year. However, if you are a lawful permanent resident and end up on a trip abroad for one year or more, your permanent residence status will automatically be lost.
In addition, you may also end up losing your permanent residence status if you take up residence somewhere other than the United States, even if you have been out of the country for less than a year. You can avoid losing your permanent residence status during an extended trip out of the United States by obtaining a reentry permit, which establishes that you do not intend to abandon your status.
There are also some other reasons that you may want to obtain a reentry permit. For example, you may wish to get a reentry permit if you are traveling outside of the U.S., and you are unable to get a passport from your home country. Since many countries allow you to use a reentry permit in a similar manner to a passport, you may be able to use it as your primary travel document.
Be sure to confirm that this is the case with any country you plan to visit before traveling. If you have additional questions about when and where you can use your reentry permit, a Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC can be of assistance.
You can obtain a reentry permit that is valid for up to two years from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. This permit will allow you to remain on an extended stay outside of the U.S. without risking your permanent resident status.
To apply for a reentry permit, you must fill out the I-131, Application for Travel Document Form. A Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC can help you fill out and submit the required application. It is important to note that you must use the most recent version of the I-131 Application (June 6, 2023) after September 12, 2023, or your application will not be accepted.
There are different addresses that you should use depending on the type of Form I-131 you are filing. Your Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC can ensure that your application is sent to the right address, or you can also look up the address used for reentry permits according to your state of residence.
First, you must apply for your reentry permit while you are still present in the United States—you should not wait until you have already traveled abroad. Additionally, you should also make sure to file your Form I-131 to apply for a reentry permit no less than 60 days before you plan to travel abroad.
However, in certain cases, you may still be able to travel during the time period after filing your Form I-131, and while your reentry permit application is still pending. Generally, for this option to be available, your biometric information (fingerprints and photos) must have already been obtained by the USCIS.
When you are working with your Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC to prepare your application, be sure to mention to your attorney that you wish to travel while your application is pending. Your Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC will be able to provide guidance as to whether that option is available to you and also explain to you any special procedures you will need to follow to obtain your reentry permit if you are already abroad. For example, you can have USCIS send your reentry permit to a Department of Homeland Security office, U.S. Embassy, or consulate overseas, allowing you to pick it up from that facility.
No, unfortunately, you cannot simply extend your current reentry permit in lieu of applying for a new one. If you currently have a reentry permit but need to travel abroad for a longer period of time and require another reentry permit, you must send it in when you apply for a new permit.
The USCIS has strict requirements regarding this process for security reasons and will not issue a new reentry permit to anyone who already has one in their possession. However, if the reason that you need a new reentry permit is that you lost your previous permit (or it was destroyed or stolen), you are permitted to obtain a new one. In this case, you will need to indicate the reason that you no longer have your permit in your possession in your application for a new reentry permit.
While there is no requirement that you must have legal representation in order to apply for a reentry permit, it is certainly helpful to have an attorney guide you through this process. The dedicated Reentry Permit Lawyer NYC legal team at Feiner & Lavy, P.C. can help you apply for a reentry permit and ensure that your application is timely and complete.
The immigration lawyers at Feiner & Lavy, P.C. have decades of experience successfully assisting their clients with all different kinds of immigration-related needs, including reentry permits. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and begin the process of applying for a reentry permit for the United States.
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