International travel under 2 year green card ?

[MarcRosie]

We still haven't received the green card, but am trying to be positive. One of our friends from China told us that you can not be out of the country for over 120 days while under the 2 year green card. I read on the USCIS site that you can stay out for up to and over a year but it might be tough to get back in. Any solid times a person can be back in China before the US starts to cause problems about coming back? If there for 3-5 months is it a problem? Thanks!!

[dnoblett]

The 6 month rule has to do with affecting when can apply for citizenship.

 

A green-card is a green-card conditional or not, the same rules apply to either one.

 

Periods longer than 1 year require a re-entry permit. Periods of 6 months to a year may get questioned at the POE.

[Kyle]

Periods longer than 6 months also screw up your continuous residency, meaning, the green card holder will have to start over. This of course, only affects the time one could apply for citizenship.

[dnoblett]

Just to clearify what Kyle stated, a green card holder is not starting over as to having to get another greencard, what restarts, is the countdown as to when can apply for citizenship.

[dnoblett]

A couple years back member: griz326 wife went back to China for just under 6 months while on her first 2 year conditional green card. No problems.

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?/topic/38547-bought-the-ticket

[david_dawei]

3-5 months appears to be about the limit where they probably don't question someone. If someone repeats 5-8 months several times they will likely question the person.

 

We had a member living in china and his wife had received her GC (prior to their moving to china) but in order to keep it without any problems, she would come back to the US every 8 months. They questioned her on the second trip. Then on the third trip they told her she would probably only be allowed to do this one more time and they were going to stop letting her in.