FOR HOW Long CAN A U.S. RESIDENT BE OUT OF THE UNITED STATES IN MEXICO?

Question

FOR HOW LONG CAN A U.S RESIDENT BE OUT OF THE UNITED STATES IN MEXICO?

Answer 1

Sounds like someone has some legal problems.

Answer 2

A person with a permanent residence card, commonly called a “green card” may only be out of The US for one year before it expires unless they have kept a valid US address, and filed an income tax return every year, even if no taxes are owed.  In that case, the green card never expires.

My wife is a Mexican and she has a green card, we maintain a US residence address, you don’t need to reside at your US residence address for it to be legal, but it must be a real address.  We use one of our daughters’ address for our bank, credit cards, voting, and tax address.  

It is important that the address that you have listed with The US Immigration service match the residence address you are using.  A couple of times the border patrol people have run my wifes’ green card through a reader and they can check the address listed on it that way from the magnetic information strip on the back of it.  

It is a good idea to have a US drivers’ license, credit cards or something with your US address on it so they can check it if they decide to.  It would be a pain in the neck, but you could even carry a copy of your last years' federal tax return with you.  

We file our income taxes jointly every year.  Her green card is still valid, and will never expire.  After living in México for several years, she has used it several times to make trips to The US.

Rex

Answer 3

A US citizen can be out for as long as they want.  

If you're speaking of a permanent legal resident, 12 months.

Answer 4

sorry Rex, but a permanent resident card, or "green card" as it is commonly known, does not expire within a year, that would be your EAD (employement authorization document). It is true, however, that a legal resident is alloted 12 months out of the states.

Answer 5

For more than 6 months you can get in trouble unless you provide an explanation.