Traveling Outside the U.S. as a Green Card Holder
Requirements for traveling abroad as a U.S. permanent resident
Can I travel outside the U.S. with a green card?
Yes, you can travel abroad as a green card holder — that’s one of the many benefits of being a permanent resident. However, your trip must be temporary and you cannot remain outside the United States for more than 1 year. If the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer believes you do not intend to continue living permanently in the United States, they could revoke your status as a permanent resident.
In this guide, we’ll go over which documents you’ll need and provide tips for traveling outside the United States as a permanent resident.
Required Documents
When you leave
You’ll want to be absolutely sure you have the necessary documents when leaving the country. Most green card holders will need to present the passport from the country where they’re a citizen, or in some cases, their refugee travel document.
You should also be sure to have your green card on you for the duration of the trip. And remember different countries have different requirements for entry. You may find that some countries require you to have a visa upon arrival. It’s a good idea to contact the embassy for the country you intend to visit.
Check out the U.S. Department of State’s “Before You Go” webpage for general information on traveling abroad.
When you come back
When returning to the United States, you’ll need your green card (officially called Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card) and your passport. You may also present other identifying documents such as a U.S. driver’s license or a foreign national I.D. The CBP officer will look over these documents to determine whether or not you can reenter the country.
Applying for a Reentry Permit
It is recommended that you apply for a reentry permit if you plan to be out the country for 6 months to one year. For any trips longer than one year, a reentry permit is required. Failure to file for a re-entry permit carries significant risk that you will have your green card revoked when trying to return. While this document doesn’t guarantee successful admittance into the U.S., it can serve as evidence demonstrating your intent to live permanently in the United States. You must submit Form I-131 (officially called “Application for Travel Document”) in order to apply for a reentry permit.
It’s important to note that the reentry permit expires after 2 years. So if you think you might be out of the country for longer, you can apply for an SB-1 (officially called a “Returning Resident Visa”). To do this, you can go to the local U.S. Embassy or consulate. As a part of the application process, you’ll need to get a medical exam and demonstrate your eligibility to receive an immigrant visa.
Traveling Outside the U.S. with a Conditional Green Card
If you have a conditional green card (valid for two years), you can travel outside the U.S., but there are some important considerations to keep in mind:
- Ensure Your Green Card Is Valid
- Your conditional green card (Form I-551) must be valid when you return to the U.S. If it expires while you’re abroad, you could have trouble re-entering.
- If your green card is close to expiring, you should file Form I-751 (“Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence”) before traveling.
- If you’ve already filed Form I-751 and received a receipt notice (Form I-797), this extends your green card for a specified period (often 48 months). Carry this notice when you travel.
- Your conditional green card (Form I-551) must be valid when you return to the U.S. If it expires while you’re abroad, you could have trouble re-entering.
- Avoid Long Trips
- Extended trips outside the U.S. can raise red flags with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- Absences of more than six months could lead CBP to question whether you’ve abandoned your residency.
- If you stay outside the U.S. for more than a year, your green card may be considered abandoned unless you apply for a reentry permit before leaving.
- Extended trips outside the U.S. can raise red flags with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- Consider Pending Applications
- If you’ve applied to remove conditions on your green card (Form I-751) and it’s still pending, you can travel as long as you have the receipt notice extending your status. However, if USCIS requests an interview or additional evidence, make sure you’re in the U.S. to respond.
- Be Prepared for Reentry Screening
- When returning, CBP officers may ask questions about your trip to ensure you still meet residency requirements. Be ready to show:
- Your valid green card and any USCIS receipt notices
- Proof of ties to the U.S. (e.g., lease, job letter, bank statements)
- When returning, CBP officers may ask questions about your trip to ensure you still meet residency requirements. Be ready to show:
- Travel Considerations for Conditional Green Card Holders Based on Marriage
- If your green card is based on marriage and you’re traveling without your spouse, CBP may question your relationship. Having documentation proving your ongoing marriage (such as joint bank statements or a lease) can be helpful.
By planning ahead and ensuring your documents are in order, you can travel outside the U.S. with a conditional green card while minimizing any issues upon reentry.
FAQs
If this happens, you can file Form I-131A (officially called “Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation)”). With the carrier documentation you should be able to fly back to the United States without receiving any sort of penalty. Form I-131A may also be helpful if you’ve been away for more than 2 years and you’ve lost your reentry permit.
Traveling abroad will, in most cases, have little to no impact on your permanent resident status. That being said, your trip must be temporary, and you must have every intention of returning to the United States. If the CBP officer suspects you do not intend to live permanently in the U.S., they could revoke your status as a permanent resident. When making their decision, the officer may consider whether:
- You’ve been gone for more than a year
- You still have a job in the U.S.
- You still have connections to friends and family in the United States
- You’ve filed income taxes as a resident of the United States
- You intended to take a temporary trip abroad
- You’ve previously communicated your intention to continue living permanently in the United States
- You have U.S. bank accounts
- You own property or manage a business in the U.S.
- You have a U.S. driver’s license
- You have a U.S. mailing address
This list is not exhaustive. The CBP officer may consider other documentation when determining whether you truly intended to take a temporary trip abroad.
If you’re out of the country for 6 months or longer, you may have issues satisfying the continuous residency requirement. If you plan on leaving the country for more than a year, you can submit Form N-470 (officially called “Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes”).
As a reminder, as part of the naturalization process, you have to show one of the following:
- That you have resided continuously in the United States for 5 years prior to submitting the application
- That you have resided continuously in the United States for 3 years (for qualified spouses of U.S. citizens)