Protecting Green Card status while being away & citizenship - Queries

[Pankaj_G]

Hi All

Please help me with the following queries....

Scenario : GC(EB1) received in Nov 2009 , returned to India due to end of US project assignment in Oct 2011 , did get a 2 year re-entry permit ( Valid till Sep 2013 ). At this stage I am not sure if & when I will be able to travel back to the US.

I have maintained my US Bank accounts , credit card accounts but do not hold any immoveable property.

Query 1 : What can I do or what is minimally needed to protect my Green card status beyond the validity of the Rentry permit ?

Query 2 : Incase I fail to return back to the US before the expiry of the re-entry permit , what visa type would I need to re-enter US for work ? Will I have any advantage in visa processing in light of the invalid Green card status?

Query 3 : In future , can my kids ( US citizens by birth ) aid / sponsor my green card or citizenship processing ? If yes , any key points to take a note of ?

Query 4 : If getting a US citizenship becomes my current primary goal , then what should be my next steps & how soon can I get it ( given the fact that I have lived there for 2 years with GC ) ?

( Eg ....I should return back by .....& With in ....years post landing I can get the US citizenship )

Please feel free to share additional relevant information , online links.

Thanks for your time.

Pankaj

[t75]

If you are interested in keeping US green card and eventually getting citizenship, your priority should be getting a US job. You USC children can sponsor you with their proper ability once they become 21. Enter before the expiration of your reentry permit. Since you received it via EB-1, you should have not trouble finding a job if you really wanted one in the US. You cannot even manage to keep a GC, why are you concerned about citizenship?

For someone with a GC, you are asking basic questions. Read the documentation on the USCIS website.

[dsri.sid]

Dear All,

I am a Green Card holder since 2011 and have a reentry permit (REP) which expires on May 6th. I just came back to US on April 28th from a 5 month stay in India. I will need to go to India again on June 1st and return in Nov end. 

Will I have to again re-apply for REP, or is it OK as I would still be within the 6 month travel period? 

 

Reason to ask this is I haven't been in the US for 6 months this year, so will I be at risk at the CBP desk (port of entry) upon arrival.

Appreciate your advice please. Though this seems to be a generic info but I am unable to find the right answer anywhere :(

Please pardon me as I am reposting here as I am unable to start a new thread and I need to reach out to as many of you as possible :)

Thanks,

Siddharth