Need to apply for Re-entry permit but living outside U.S. (in Canada) !

[Hans D]

Dear Members,

I'm a Canadian permanent resident and I live in Vancouver, B.C. with my wife. We both work here in permanent jobs and we own a residence here. I got my PR status for U.S. on September 5th, 2015 along with my wife when I traveled to the nearby border location (only 20 mins drive from my place) and then same day we (including my wife) came back and re-entered Canada. I need time to find a suitable job and move to U.S. in future which might happen anytime in the next two years. It is not easy for us to leave our jobs and move right away. So we need time. Now I'm hoping to apply for a re-entry permit for both of us so that if we are traveling to US and back frequently and stay outside US for the next 2 years, we are able to stay out of trouble and the risk of losing our PR status in US.

The concern I have is that how should I apply for re-entry visa in US since I'm staying outside at the moment. I can go to US for a day and send my application and Seattle is near and I can go there and given them my application in hands and drive back to Canada (if I need to be in U.S. to apply for it). I've already received my Green card on my brother's address who also was a co-sponsor as a householder on my application for permanent residence. Since my address in the green card and USCIS records will be the same as my brother's address, my re-entry application region will be different and not Seattle I believe. I can possibly apply for re-entry permit by sending the application package with his address as my current address. I will be residing outside US (in Canada) thought. I will then go for the biometrics appointment in person and get the re-rentry permit delivered to the US consulate location in Vancouver. I was hoping that I can go and deliver my application in person for re-entry permit to the USCIS location in Seattle. But I think if my current address in the records is my brother's US address in California, then I have to apply to a different office according to that region? I think this application can only be mailed and not delivered in person? I hope you can advise me on my situation. What should I do to apply for re-entry permit for both myself and my wife? Can I just go to Seattle, deliver the application in person, have my brother's address as my current address on it and then come back to Canada? and then go again for my biometric in person when I get the appointment. Will this work? I will be grateful for your help and advise. Thanks.

[rayb]

Except for documented emergencies, you can expect to be required to mail your Reentry Permit application. The Biometrics will be scheduled at your U.S. domicile location, but you may then be able to get another Biometrics location to do the Biometrics, AS A DISCRETIONARY COURTESY.

--Ray B

Dear Members,

I'm a Canadian permanent resident and I live in Vancouver, B.C. with my wife. We both work here in permanent jobs and we own a residence here. I got my PR status for U.S. on September 5th, 2015 along with my wife when I traveled to the nearby border location (only 20 mins drive from my place) and then same day we (including my wife) came back and re-entered Canada. I need time to find a suitable job and move to U.S. in future which might happen anytime in the next two years. It is not easy for us to leave our jobs and move right away. So we need time. Now I'm hoping to apply for a re-entry permit for both of us so that if we are traveling to US and back frequently and stay outside US for the next 2 years, we are able to stay out of trouble and the risk of losing our PR status in US.

The concern I have is that how should I apply for re-entry visa in US since I'm staying outside at the moment. I can go to US for a day and send my application and Seattle is near and I can go there and given them my application in hands and drive back to Canada (if I need to be in U.S. to apply for it). I've already received my Green card on my brother's address who also was a co-sponsor as a householder on my application for permanent residence. Since my address in the green card and USCIS records will be the same as my brother's address, my re-entry application region will be different and not Seattle I believe. I can possibly apply for re-entry permit by sending the application package with his address as my current address. I will be residing outside US (in Canada) thought. I will then go for the biometrics appointment in person and get the re-rentry permit delivered to the US consulate location in Vancouver. I was hoping that I can go and deliver my application in person for re-entry permit to the USCIS location in Seattle. But I think if my current address in the records is my brother's US address in California, then I have to apply to a different office according to that region? I think this application can only be mailed and not delivered in person? I hope you can advise me on my situation. What should I do to apply for re-entry permit for both myself and my wife? Can I just go to Seattle, deliver the application in person, have my brother's address as my current address on it and then come back to Canada? and then go again for my biometric in person when I get the appointment. Will this work? I will be grateful for your help and advise. Thanks.

[Hans D]

Thanks Ray. I appreciate your reply. So, simply what I plan to do is go to Seattle, mail our Re-entry permit application to the office applicable (according to my address in the records, which is my brother's address in California, I guess that is what you meant by domicile). Then return back to Vancouver (Canada) the next day. Once we get our biometrics appointment mailed to my brother's address, he will send us the appointment letter and we will again fly back to US to where we need to give our biometrics and come back to Canada again. i will get our re-entry permits delivered to the US consulate in Vancouver. I guess this will work? How can we get another Biometrics location to do the Biometrics and what do you mean by 'DISCRETIONARY COURTESY'? Please advise further if you can. Thanks again.

[rayb]

It has become fairly routine for Biometrics applicants to go to "Application Support Centers, ASC, other than the ones on their appointment notices and ask to be printed. It is then up to the ASC manager, based on their traffic and his attitude, to extend you the courtesy of being printed and photographed. From what others have reported, this is not usually a problem.

--Ray B

Thanks Ray. I appreciate your reply. So, simply what I plan to do is go to Seattle, mail our Re-entry permit application to the office applicable (according to my address in the records, which is my brother's address in California, I guess that is what you meant by domicile). Then return back to Vancouver (Canada) the next day. Once we get our biometrics appointment mailed to my brother's address, he will send us the appointment letter and we will again fly back to US to where we need to give our biometrics and come back to Canada again. i will get our re-entry permits delivered to the US consulate in Vancouver. I guess this will work? How can we get another Biometrics location to do the Biometrics and what do you mean by 'DISCRETIONARY COURTESY'? Please advise further if you can. Thanks again.

[kblade]

"Now I'm hoping to apply for a re-entry permit for both of us so that if we are traveling to US and back frequently and stay outside US for the next 2 years, we are able to stay out of trouble and the risk of losing our PR status in US."

Please someone else correct me if I'm wrong, but the re-entry permit is only valid for a single re-entry. Which means this individual's strategy of going back and forth between Canada and U.S. will not work.

[rayb]

I believe it is only good for a single reentry. But I'm not certain of this.

--Ray B

"Now I'm hoping to apply for a re-entry permit for both of us so that if we are traveling to US and back frequently and stay outside US for the next 2 years, we are able to stay out of trouble and the risk of losing our PR status in US."

Please someone else correct me if I'm wrong, but the re-entry permit is only valid for a single re-entry. Which means this individual's strategy of going back and forth between Canada and U.S. will not work.