How Long Can a Green Card Holder Stay Outside the U.S.? The 6-Month and 1-Year Rules

A green card holder can visit family abroad (in Vietnam, for example) and return to the U.S. with a valid green card if the trip is shorter than 1 year. Still, USCIS describes two important thresholds:

• Being outside the U.S. for 6 months or more may break the continuous residence you need to apply for citizenship.
• Being outside the U.S. for more than 1 year may be treated as abandoning permanent residence, unless you obtained a reentry permit before leaving.

These rules apply to both 2-year and 10-year cards.

Trips shorter than 6 months

According to the USCIS International Travel as a Permanent Resident page (updated September 12, 2025), temporary or brief travel usually does not affect permanent resident status. You return with a valid, unexpired green card (Form I-551) and your passport.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer may still ask about your trip, your job and where you live. Keep documents that show you live in the U.S.

Trips of 6 months to under 1 year

According to the same USCIS page:

• You can still use your green card to return.
• But absences of 6 months or more may disrupt the continuous residence required for naturalization. If you plan to file Form N-400 soon, long trips can push back the date you become eligible. See What Is Form N-400? for the continuous residence requirement.
• USCIS also notes that a trip shorter than 1 year can still be found to be abandonment if the officer concludes you did not intend to make the U.S. your permanent home (for example, if you moved your home and job abroad).

Trips longer than 1 year

• USCIS uses more than 1 year absent as the general guide for abandonment.
• If you know you will be outside the U.S. for more than 1 year, apply for a reentry permit (Form I-131) before you leave.
• If you are outside the U.S. for more than 2 years, the reentry permit expires. USCIS suggests applying for a returning resident (SB-1) visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. SB-1 applicants must show they are eligible for an immigrant visa and need a medical exam.

For absences of 1 year or more for certain kinds of work (for example, for the U.S. government or certain U.S. companies abroad), there is also Form N-470 to preserve residence for naturalization. Ask an attorney about this case.

What is a reentry permit?

A reentry permit is a document USCIS issues through Form I-131. It lets a permanent resident return to the U.S. after a long trip without being considered to have abandoned residence just because of the time abroad. According to USCIS:

• Apply before you leave the U.S.; the permit expires if you stay abroad more than 2 years.
• A permit does not guarantee admission; you still have to be admissible.
• Under the G-1055 Fee Schedule (edition October 16, 2026), the fee is $630 (paper filing). The USCIS I-131 page says reentry permits cannot be filed online.
• Under the Form I-131 instructions, you must be in the U.S. when you file and when you go to biometrics. Allow time for the biometrics appointment before you book your trip.

What if I lose my green card while abroad?

If your trip is under 1 year and your card is lost, stolen or destroyed, you can file Form I-131A at a U.S. consulate for a document to board your flight home. Details are in Lost Your Green Card in the U.S. or Abroad?.

Good habits for long trips abroad

• Keep your green card valid. If it will expire while you are away, renew it before you leave. See Renewing a 10-Year Green Card.
• Keep your ties to the U.S.: a home address, bank accounts, a job, and tax returns filed as a U.S. resident.
• Write down the departure and return dates of every trip. Form N-400 asks about every trip in the last 5 years.
• 2-year card holders: don't miss the 90-day Form I-751 window. See 2-Year to 10-Year Green Card.

Every situation is different. If you have been, or will be, outside the U.S. for a long time, talk to a licensed immigration attorney before you go.

Need help preparing a reentry permit?

Manna One Solution's immigration document preparation service prepares Forms I-131, I-90 and N-400 online for clients across the U.S., in English or Vietnamese. Manna One Solution is not a law firm and does not give legal advice; some states require non-attorney immigration document preparers to register with the state, so we confirm the state you live in before taking your case.

Sources

• USCIS — International Travel as a Permanent Resident (updated September 12, 2025; checked October 19, 2026)
• USCIS — I-131, Application for Travel Documents (updated October 7, 2026; checked October 19, 2026)
• USCIS — G-1055 Fee Schedule (edition 10/16/26) (checked October 19, 2026)
• USCIS — I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation (checked October 19, 2026)