[ahmerundertaker]

Hi! I need to ask you that I was issued a US green card on 18th dec 2001 and the card will expire on 2nd January 2012.The problem is that US immigration law states that a green card holder can stay abroad for six months or less than a year and should return back to USA within six months.But unfortunately my father died on 21st July 2002 when I was 13yrs old and there was a separation b/w my parents in 1997 so as a result I was in the custody of my mother and she couldnot bare the expenses to make me fly back to the US as all the wealth of my father was under the custody of court and as a result its now almost seven years of over stay in Pakistan and now I have reach the age of majority as I am now 20yrs of age so now I want to return back to USA as my green card is still valid till 2nd jan 2012.So will the authorities on US airport will allow me to enter US after seven years of over stay abroad.

[DCcityboy]

I would advise you to document everything detailing the reason you were outside the US for so long and then make an appointment with the US consulate to discuss either a boarding letter (unlikely) or an SB-1 visa (very possible).

Good luck.

[ImmigrationEsq]

To keep your PR status you will need to convince the USCIS that you never intended to abandon your PR status and that the long period outside the US was not your fault.
There are arguments for and against your maintaining your PR status.

Kyndra L. Mulder, Esquire