How long can you stay outside the United States if you are a Green Card Holder ?

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My wife is from Colombia and she went back to Colombia to take care of her sick mother. She has already been there a few months. I was wondering if there is a time limit where they would not let her back into the U.S. with a valid Green Card ?

Attorney Answers

4
Eubert Marc Torrefiel HilarioImmigration AttorneyMorristown, NJ ·
Any prolonged stay outside the US could be construed that your wife is abandoning her permanent residency status. There is no definite number of days but 6 months or more would invite questions. Contact an immigration attorney to help you understand in details the rules and so you can have more definitive answer based on your circumstances.
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Adan Vega ·
Your wife should not stay outside the U.S. for longer than 6 months to avoid any issues with CBP at the port of entry.
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Luis Toribio ·
While there is no definitely timeframe, a stay of 6 months or more outside of the United States could lead to the issue of abandonment of permanent residency status.
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Juan Sarmiento ·
6 months is a good max, 1 year is possible but you got show reasons. More than a year, gotta have a reentry permit.
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