Published on the World Journal Weekly on February 15, 2015

Q & A 1.

Q&A 1.


Reentry Permits – Not Guarantors of Entry Into the Country


A son asks:

My parents immigrated to the U.S. 2 years ago through my application.  They applied reentry permits to go back to China to take care of my grandmother and the due day was 1/2015.  Because my parents are about 70 years old, they are not sure if they could come back before 1/2015.  Can they come back a few months after the due day?  Will they encounter problem coming back to the U.S.?  Or can they reapply a new reentry permit immediately after they came back before the due date? .

Dear reader,

Your parents would encounter problems if they exceeded the time on the reentry permits if they have not been coming back to the U. S. during the two-year validity of the permits. The question of course is whether they actually intend to reside in the United States. Permanent residents are supposed to spend the major part of the year inside the country. If they come back to the U. S. on time, they can reapply for new reentry permits once here. U.S.C.I.S. is fairly generous in the grants of reentry permits. I must warn, however, that if your parents remain outside the U. S. for lengthy periods of time in the future, they may encounter questions by Customs and Border Protection inspectors at the U. S. ports of entry when they attempt to reenter even if the reentry permits are still facially valid.

 

Copyright © 2003-2017 Alan Lee, Esq.
The information provided here is of a general nature and may not apply to any particular set of facts or circumstances. It should not be construed as legal advice and does not constitute an engagement of the Law Office of Alan Lee or establish an attorney-client relationship.

 
   
 

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