Case Study: Green Card Abandonment

Green Card Abandonment
There are a variety of situations in which people who hold legal permanent resident status in the U.S. choose to relinquish their status in the U.S. Whatever may be the reason for abandoning a green card, the decision must not be taken lightly.
Permanent residents will need to maintain their status in the U.S. to remain a legal resident. If they are unable to maintain their status because they have to move to another country because they received a better job opportunity or for some other reason, they may abandon their status in the U.S. By voluntarily abandoning their status, they may not have complications at the U.S. port of entry when they attempt to enter the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa after giving up their legal resident status in the U.S.
How to abandon legal resident status in the U.S.?
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that grants legal resident status to foreign nationals also lets them give up that status. Form I-407 is the USCIS form that a legal resident needs to file to record abandonment of legal permanent residence.

Legal residents can file this form at a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate in the home country or mail the form to the embassy or consulate. There is no filing fee for this form.
Applicants will

For example, if a green card holder remains abroad for a year or more and has no ties in the U.S., he or she is more likely to lose their status. When the resident attempts to enter the U.S. after their extended abroad trip, immigration officers at the port of entry will determine whether or not they have abandoned their status in the U.S. If the legal resident is found to have abandoned his or her status involuntarily, the immigration officer at the port of entry would confiscate the green card. However, the final ruling will be made by an immigration