Green Card Holders Away a Year or More Need a Reentry Permit
Traveling abroad after you get a green card generally doesn’t affect your permanent resident status if the trip is brief; if you plan to be away for more than a year, USCIS advises applying for a reentry permit on Form I-131 before you leave. You must be in the US when you apply and must complete biometrics (fingerprints and photo) in the US, and the permit is generally valid for 2 years from the date it is issued.
While a reentry permit is valid, USCIS won’t find that you abandoned your green card based solely on how long you’ve been abroad; but it doesn’t guarantee entry, and you still go through CBP inspection when you return. If you’re away for more than 2 years and the permit has expired, USCIS advises considering a returning resident visa (SB-1) at a US embassy or consulate.
Before you go, check how long you’ll be away
| How long you’re away | What USCIS says | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Brief trip | Generally doesn’t affect your status | A valid green card and your passport |
| A year or more | Apply for a reentry permit before leaving | I-131 reentry permit |
| More than 2 years | A reentry permit granted before you left will have expired | Consider a returning resident visa (SB-1) |
Does travel affect your green card?
USCIS explains (USCIS international travel as a permanent resident):
- What to bring back: a valid, unexpired green card (I-551); a CBP officer reviews your green card and other identity documents. To travel abroad itself, you use a passport from your country of citizenship.
- Brief trip: permanent residents are free to travel outside the US, and temporary or brief travel usually doesn’t affect your status.
- How abandonment is decided: if it is determined that you did not intend to make the US your permanent home, you will be found to have abandoned permanent resident status. A general guide is whether you’ve been away for more than a year; trips of less than a year can also lead to a finding of abandonment if it’s believed you didn’t intend to live in the US.
- What officers may consider: for example, whether you meant to visit abroad only temporarily, whether you kept US family and community ties, kept US employment, and filed US taxes.
If your green card hasn’t arrived and you only have the entry stamp, see Green card not arrived after 90 days; for green card holders’ tax and other responsibilities, see Responsibilities of green card holders.
Reentry permit how to apply on I-131
The I-131 instructions say (USCIS I-131):
- Who can apply: permanent residents and conditional permanent residents.
- You must be in the US: you must be in the US when you file and when you complete biometrics; after you file, USCIS will tell you in writing when to go to your local Application Support Center (ASC).
- Pick up abroad: when you file, you can ask for the permit to be sent to a US embassy, consulate or USCIS office abroad for pickup; not every embassy or consulate offers this.
- Validity: generally 2 years from the date of issuance. If you’ve been outside the US for more than 4 of the last 5 years since becoming a permanent resident, it is limited to 1 year, with a few exceptions.
- Fee: check USCIS’s fee page and confirm before you file.
What a reentry permit can and can’t do
- What it can do: while it’s valid, you can apply for admission when you return without first getting a returning resident visa at an embassy or consulate, and USCIS won’t find you abandoned your status based solely on how long you’ve been abroad (USCIS travel documents, I-131 instructions).
- What it can’t do: it doesn’t guarantee entry, so you still go through inspection, and it doesn’t exempt you from other immigration law requirements.
- Naturalization: absences of 6 months or more may disrupt the continuous residence needed for naturalization, and absences of 1 year or more generally break it. To preserve continuous residence for naturalization there is a separate Form N-470; a reentry permit doesn’t replace it.
Losing your green card abroad
If your green card or reentry permit is lost, stolen or destroyed while you’re abroad, you may need to apply for I-131A carrier documentation so an airline can board you back to the US (USCIS). For travel with a visa or while your green card case is pending, see our US travel site’s Traveling on a visa check your visa stamp before returning.
What this article did not check
- The I-131 fee: this article doesn’t list the amount; check USCIS’s fee page before filing.
- Processing times: this article did not check.
- Details of the returning resident visa (SB-1): the application process is on the State Department’s pages, and this article does not go into it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I travel abroad in my first year with a green card?
Yes. USCIS says permanent residents are free to travel abroad, and brief trips generally don’t affect status; bring your valid green card when you return.
How long a trip needs a reentry permit?
USCIS advises applying before you leave if you plan to be away from the US for more than a year.
Can I apply for a reentry permit from abroad?
No. The I-131 instructions say you must be in the US when you file and complete biometrics in the US. When you file, you can ask for the permit to be sent to an embassy or consulate abroad for pickup.
With a reentry permit, am I sure to get back in?
Not necessarily. USCIS says it doesn’t guarantee entry, and you still go through inspection.
Will travel affect naturalization later?
It may. Absences of 6 months or more may disrupt the continuous residence needed for naturalization, and 1 year or more generally breaks it; a reentry permit doesn’t replace Form N-470.
Sources and dates checked
All checked on 2026-10-28. This article is not legal or immigration advice; for your case, see an immigration lawyer or DOJ-accredited representative.
- USCIS International Travel as a Permanent Resident: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-we-grant-your-green-card/international-travel-as-a-permanent-resident
- USCIS Form I-131 and instructions:https://www.uscis.gov/i-131
- USCIS Travel Documents: https://www.uscis.gov/travel-documents