How long can a Green Card Holder stay out of the US

[Johnsmith3936]

Hi,

I know the standard answer is less than one year conditionally.

But, today at work, someone mentioned the following:

"His friend was being paid by a US firm, to a US banking account while working in Singapore. The company had transferrred him to Singapore for 3 years. He was able to get back into the US with his green card and didn't need a re-entry permit or anything else"

My question is, is that possible?

My situation is that my family, Me-US citizen, Wife-GC, 3 Children all US citizens, have been in Singapore for about 1 year. From what I read on-line, we have to go back to the US before a year is up.

While in Singapore, we have maintained a house, bank account, phones, utiliities, paid Federal/State/etc income taxes for 2012 and filed 2011 taxes. Can my wife stay longer than 1 year in Singapore and still get into the country with only her GC and foriegn passport. (We have all the supporting documentation with us in Singapore). She is also being paid 2,000 a month through our company in the US via a Payroll Compnay.

thank you,

[JoeF]

Hi,

I know the standard answer is less than one year conditionally.

But, today at work, someone mentioned the following:

"His friend was being paid by a US firm, to a US banking account while working in Singapore. The company had transferrred him to Singapore for 3 years. He was able to get back into the US with his green card and didn't need a re-entry permit or anything else"

My question is, is that possible?

No. Even a reentry permit allows for a 2-year stay abroad only.So, the person had to come back in between.

[Johnsmith3936]

Thank you for your answer. I was wondering if you knew how long should we plan to stay in the US before we go back to Singapore.

[JoeF]

Thank you for your answer. I was wondering if you knew how long should we plan to stay in the US before we go back to Singapore.

At least for your wife, she is not going "back to Singapore". She goes back to the US, and travels temporarily to other countries.

For an LPR, all trips abroad have to be temporary in nature.

There is no specific time period an LPR has to be in the US between travels abroad. It is advisable to get a reentry permit, though, since that can serve as additional evidence that the LPR didn't abandon the GC. There is biometrics to be done for a reentry permit, which takes a month or so to schedule.

[Johnsmith3936]

Thank you for you help

[t75]

Working for a US company on a posting abroad has special provisions. The company's attorney would make appropriate filings.