How long can you stay outside the US with a green card?
| Time abroad | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under 6 months | Generally no problem for re-entry. |
| More than 180 days | You are treated as seeking admission when you return, so CBP can examine whether you have abandoned your US residence. For citizenship, the trip also creates a presumed break in continuous residence. |
| 1 year or more | Your green card is no longer valid as a travel document, unless you have a re-entry permit. Without one, you would usually need an SB-1 returning resident visa from a US consulate, which is hard to get. |
Trip length isn't the only factor. CBP looks at whether the US is still your permanent home: your job, where you pay taxes, your home or lease, and where your family lives. Frequent long trips that add up to most of the year can raise questions even if each trip is under 6 months.
Re-entry permits
If you plan to be away for close to a year or longer, you can apply for a re-entry permit on Form I-131 before you leave. You must be in the US when you file, and you'll usually need to attend a biometrics appointment. A re-entry permit is generally valid for up to 2 years. It shows you intended to keep your residence, but it doesn't protect your continuous residence for citizenship.
Shared trip list
This calculator uses the same trip list as our N-400 citizenship calculator. Trips you add here are also counted there against the physical presence and continuous residence rules.