Retaining Permanent Resident Status

[rtg]

My father holds a US green card as of 2009 but has chosen to stay out of the country for the past few years coming to the US at least once a year, so that his green card remains valid.

During his last entry (Feb 2012), the immigration officer, warned him that he needed to live in the US in order to keep his green card. In fact, in the stamp he put on his passport he notated that my father had been out for 10 months.

He plans to leave again at the end of March and come back within 6 months (around August), for a permanent move.

Does he run any risk of losing his green card if he leaves, but comes back within 6 months? Or should he apply for a reentry permit?

[supremeone]

He has already been warned by an immigration officer. So i am pretty sure that a notification will be made on his regular absence from the country. You guys need to consult an immigration attorney to safe him the risk of being deny entry the next time he comes.

[rtg]

He has already been warned by an immigration officer. So i am pretty sure that a notification will be made on his regular absence from the country. You guys need to consult an immigration attorney to safe him the risk of being deny entry the next time he comes.

Thanks for the reply.

The only challenge is that I'm not too sure what he was told at the port of entry, because my father doesn't speak english. He just said that the immigration officer gestured that the green card will be torn (he did the tear gesture) if you're out for this long again (10 months).

My father is sure he'll be back within 6 months this time, and usually anything less than 6 months abroad is not too much of a problem, but i'm concerned.

He also applied and was approved for a reentry permit in 2009 and was out of the country for 2 years between 4/09 - 3/11. Wondering if we should apply for the reentry permit again, even though he'll only be out for 6 months.