ANG green card na tinatawag din na permanent resident card ang patunay na ang isang indibidwal ay may lawful permanent resident (LPR) status sa US. Subalit ang LPR status ay hindi talagang permanente sapagkat maaaring magkaroon ng determinasyon na ang LPR ay nag-abandona na ng kanyang LPR status sa US. Ang abandonment ay maaaring maging isyu kapag ang LPR ay bumabalik ng US pakatapos ng mahabang biyahe sa labas ng US. Ang LPR na pumapasok sa US pagkatapos ng matagal na panahon na pagkawala sa US ay maaaring matanong ng Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) tungkol sa kanyang matagal na pagkawala at ang CBP ay maaaring magkaroon ng determinsayon na ang LPR ay nag-abandona na ng kanyang LPR status. Ang mga tanong ukol sa abandonment ng LPR status ay kadalasang lumilitaw kung ang LPR ay nasa tuloy-tuloy na nasa labas ng US ng mahigit na isang taon.
Ang LPR na nagbabalak na lumagi sa labas ng US ng mahigit sa isang taon ay kailangang mag-apply ng re-entry permit sapagkat hindi siya makakapasok ng US sa pamamagitan lang ng green card. Maraming LPR ang naniniwala na kapag sila ay may re-entry permit, ito ay garantiya na sila ay hindi na matatanong tungkol sa abandonment of residence kung sila ay nasa labas ng US ng mahigit na isang taon. Ngunit mali ang paniniwalang ito. Ang prinsipyo o pamantayan para madetermina ang isyu ng abandonment ay kung ang LPR ay may objective intention na bumalik ng US pagkatapos ng maikling biyahe. Ang mga sumusunod ay maaaring maging batayan nito: (1) family ties – ang LPR ba ay may family ties sa US? O ang pamilya ba ng LPR ay nasa labas ng US at wala silang intension na tumira sa US? (2) trabaho – ang LPR ba ay may trabaho sa US na maaari niyang balikan? O ang trabaho ba ng LPR ay nasa labas ng US? (3) tax returns – ang LPR ay nag-file ng tax returns bilang US resident? (4) club memberships at iba pang community ties – ang LPR ba ay may mga kaugnayan sa ibang club o organisasyon sa US? (5) mga ari-arian – ang LPR ba ay may-ari o umuupa ng mga ari-arian sa US? O ang mga pag-aari ba ng LPR ay nasa labas ng US?
Ang LPR na gustong manatili sa labas ng US ng isang taon ay kailangang magpakita na hindi pa siya nag-abandona ng kanyang LPR status sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng ng mga sumusunod: (1) kailangang magbayad siya ng buwis bilang resident alien; (2) kailangang may mga pag-aari siya sa US o umuupa ng ari-arian sa US; kailangan ding bayaran niya ang mga utility bills ng mga ari-ariang ito; (3) kailangang mayroon siyang US credit cards at ginagamit niya ang mga ito; (4) kailangang mayroon siyang US bank accounts at ginagamit niya ang mga ito; (5) kailangang may babalikan siyang trabaho sa US; (6) kung ang trabaho niya ay sa labas ng US, kailangang ipakita niya na ang trabahong ito ay pansamantala lamang.
Sa isang kasong napagdesisyonan ng Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), sinabi ng BIA na kung ang LPR ay lumabas ng US upang maiwasan ang military service o military training sa panahon ng giyera o sa panahon na may national emergency, ang LPR ay masasabing nag-abandona na ng kanyang LPR status.
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A green card which is also called the permanent resident card is proof that an individual has lawful permanent resident (LPR) status in the US. However, LPR status is not necessarily permanent as there can be findings that an LPR has abandoned his LPR status by failing to maintain permanent residence in the US. Abandonment may arise as an issue when re-entering the US after a long trip abroad. An LPR who attempts to reenter the US with his green card after prolonged absences may find that Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) believes that he has abandoned his residence. Questions regarding the abandonment of LPR status usually arise when the LPR is abroad for at least one year continuously.
An LPR who plans to be outside the US for more than one year may apply for a re-entry permit as he will not be able to enter the US with the green card alone. Many LPRs believe that having a re-entry permit is a guarantee against a finding of abandonment but this is not the case. The guiding principle or standard in abandonment is whether or not the LPR had an objective intention to return to the US after a relatively short trip abroad, fixed by some early event. Factors to consider include the following: (1) family ties – does the LPR have family ties in the US with whom he is in regular contact or are his close family members in another country with no plans to move to the US? (2) job – does the LPR have a job in the US which he can return to or is he working outside the US? (3) tax returns – is the LPR filing taxes as a US resident? (4) club memberships and other community ties – is the LPR actively connected to clubs or other organizations in the US? (5) property – does the LPR own or rent property in the US or does the LPR own or rent property in another country?
An LPR who wants to spend time outside the US may show that he has not abandoned his status as LPR by doing and retaining relevant documentation on the following: (1) he must pay US taxes as a resident alien; (2) he must own or rent property in the US and pay utility bills and other bills for that property; (3) he must have and use US credit cards; (4) he must have an use US bank accounts; (4) he must maintain close ties with family members in the US; (5) he must maintain employment in the US; (6) if working abroad, he must be able to document that the work abroad is temporary.
In a case decided by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the BIA held that if an LPR departs for the purpose of evading military service or training in times of war or a period declared by the President to be a national emergency, he is considered to have abandoned his LPR status.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others.
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