Path: ccsf.homeunix.org!ccsf.homeunix.org!news1.wakwak.com!nf1.xephion.ne.jp!onion.ish.org!news.daionet.gr.jp!news.yamada.gr.jp!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.fjserv.net!news-FFM2.ecrc.net!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!h219-110-092-050.catv01.itscom.JP!not-for-mail From: "Hibijibi" <km34@columbia.edu> Newsgroups: fj.life.in-japan Subject: Re: Permanent Residency, no problem Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 16:35:10 +0900 Lines: 38 Message-ID: <c4tmj9$2l9cmu$1@ID-149122.news.uni-berlin.de> References: <406D7667.13F326C7@yahoo.co.jp> <7h1r60174soluc9neflvmjhu119poecqgn@4ax.com> <406E9CFD.3B42F836@yahoo.co.jp> <n3ru60pveo269geabkvqui6rk6e7cfn3a4@4ax.com> <c4nrr0$2in9q3$1@ID-101276.news.uni-berlin.de> <7tsv60lloooco31ip2na5c1pl0b352v8h6@4ax.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: h219-110-092-050.catv01.itscom.jp (219.110.92.50) X-Trace: news.uni-berlin.de 1081236906 89436894 I 219.110.92.50 ([149122]) X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 Xref: ccsf.homeunix.org fj.life.in-japan:13234 "Raj Feridun" wrote... > My wife got her permanent green card almost as easily 11 years ago > (one year before we moved to Japan). Now we have to completely reapply > again when we move back home again though since we were told in no > uncertain terms that one condition of permanent residency status was > that you actually permanently reside in the states. You can leave for > up to one year at a time but beyond that you need special permission > and as for 10 years.... We just went through the whole green card rigamarole as well. A word to the wise green card holders thinking about leaving the States: get a departure permit before you go! Not only will it help you extend your permanent residency status beyond a year or so, it also has important tax implications. My wife (then BYJGF) paid about 7 grand to an immigration attorney to help get her green card. This same attorney didn't mention anything about needing a departure permit when informed about our move to Japan, nor did any customs official. I was under the mistaken impression her permanent residency card would expire according to the date on the card where it says "CARD EXPIRES 05/15/08". Silly me. By the time I realized there might be a problem the missus was 8 months pregnant and wasn't going _anywhere_ even though her first year out of the States was nearing an end. I have to say the folks at the embassy in Tokyo (after finally figuring out where to stand in line) were exceptionally nice about it, but nevertheless it galled me she had to sign a release saying she was "voluntarily" giving up her permanent residency status, when in fact we were simply returning to the States for a brief visit and didn't want her to get arrested by the INS. Could this little known requirement by the INS for a departure permit simply be a trick to relieve unsuspecting green card holders of their permanent residency status? Nah, couldn't be! best hibijibi