# green card issue



## argusxyz (Apr 12, 2010)

hi all,

i am a green card owner since 2002 and my card will expire in 2012. after finishing high school in the states, i came back to my home country -turkey- to finish college. now i am about to get graduated and i have never visited the states for 6 years during my college education. i think at this point my green card would not be valid. is there any way to make it valid again or do i have to go thru the application process all over again? what happens if i go to the states and try to enter the country with this green card? how can i be sure that this is still valid or not? what should i do right now in turkey in order to get a reentry? Our family friend also had a green card and she did not enter the country for more than 5 years and last year when she got there, she could just enter the country without any problem or so. how could that happen? and would the same apply to me?

i'd be very plased if you reply me back.

thanks.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

You have abandoned your GC privileges. If you can sneak by the immigration officer at point of entry you will have to explain your situation the very latest in 2012 at renewal. Will you be able to get it reinstated at point of entry by insisting that you are a legal resident and haave a right to see a judge? That depends on the judge.
Being refused entry with an invalid GC will be part of your permanent record. I cannot tell you how this might impact future visa applications be it B or GC.


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## argusxyz (Apr 12, 2010)

thanks for your reply,

i have some further questions: my mother is an american born citizen but she's not living in the states. and i am a 25 years old male. would this info have some impact for my case?

would they basically arrest me at the enterance or something if i try to sneak in with my gc?  isn't there anything i can do to regain an enterance right? isn't there anywhere i can consult to explain my case that i was only here for college education and i wasn't aware of that law? i think once i heard that i can apply for a special visa for tha validity of my gc or something.. any ideas?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

argusxyz said:


> thanks for your reply,
> 
> i have some further questions: my mother is an american born citizen but she's not living in the states. and i am a 25 years old male. would this info have some impact for my case?
> 
> would they basically arrest me at the enterance or something if i try to sneak in with my gc?  isn't there anything i can do to regain an enterance right? isn't there anywhere i can consult to explain my case that i was only here for college education and i wasn't aware of that law? i think once i heard that i can apply for a special visa for tha validity of my gc or something.. any ideas?


Disregard rumors! 
Why a GC? Where were you born?


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## argusxyz (Apr 12, 2010)

twostep said:


> Disregard rumors!
> Why a GC? Where were you born?


i was born here, in Turkey.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

argusxyz said:


> i was born here, in Turkey.


I do not understand why you were issued a GC. You may be able to apply for a passport. Talk to your mother - was she a US citizen when you were born, does she have a valid US passport, what information is on your birth certificate, did your parents file a consular birth abroad ...?


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## argusxyz (Apr 12, 2010)

twostep said:


> I do not understand why you were issued a GC. You may be able to apply for a passport. Talk to your mother - was she a US citizen when you were born, does she have a valid US passport, what information is on your birth certificate, did your parents file a consular birth abroad ...?


yes, as i said before, she's an american born citizen but she lives here in Turkey since she's 2 years old. she has a valid u.s passport of course. but i wasn't born in the usa. i think just because she doesn't live in the states, i could only get a gc. she has never worked in the states and never had properties there, so she never had to pay taxes, but she's an american. and just because i'm older than 18 years old i can no longer apply for a new gc with the help of my mother's citizenship. when i was 17 i could just apply for a gc but no passport. that's what i think. correct me if i'm wrong.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

argusxyz said:


> yes, as i said before, she's an american born citizen but she lives here in Turkey since she's 2 years old. she has a valid u.s passport of course. but i wasn't born in the usa. i think just because she doesn't live in the states, i could only get a gc. she has never worked in the states and never had properties there, so she never had to pay taxes, but she's an american. and just because i'm older than 18 years old i can no longer apply for a new gc with the help of my mother's citizenship. when i was 17 i could just apply for a gc but no passport. that's what i think. correct me if i'm wrong.


Is there any other information? Not living in the US and not having income/property there is irrelevant. It is mandatory for US citizens to file tax returns. I presume you have not filed either or registered with Selective Service.

Let me check into this a bit. Maybe FatBrit will have an explanation how your GC was issued.


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## argusxyz (Apr 12, 2010)

twostep said:


> Is there any other information? Not living in the US and not having income/property there is irrelevant. It is mandatory for US citizens to file tax returns. I presume you have not filed either or registered with Selective Service.
> 
> Let me check into this a bit. Maybe FatBrit will have an explanation how your GC was issued.


my mom said: the people in charge at the american embassy in ankara said that even though you are an american-born citizen, you have to live at least for 5 years in the states in order to get your son a passport. but that was some time ago.

thanks for your answers. i'll be waiting for the further information. any help is appreciated.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

argusxyz said:


> my mom said: the people in charge at the american embassy in ankara said that even though you are an american-born citizen, you have to live at least for 5 years in the states in order to get your son a passport. but that was some time ago.
> 
> thanks for your answers. i'll be waiting for the further information. any help is appreciated.


That's true - in order to be able to pass US citizenship to your child, the American parent has to have lived in the US for a certain period of time after the age of 14, I think it is.

But that still doesn't explain your having had a green card. When did you get that, and how?
Cheers,
Bev


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## argusxyz (Apr 12, 2010)

Bevdeforges said:


> That's true - in order to be able to pass US citizenship to your child, the American parent has to have lived in the US for a certain period of time after the age of 14, I think it is.
> 
> But that still doesn't explain your having had a green card. When did you get that, and how?
> Cheers,
> Bev


thanks for the reply.
i explained that above: i am a green card owner since 2002 (which is now invalid as twostep says). when i was 17, my mother applied for my gc, because they could only give a gc to me but no citizenship. i mean, i could get a gc via her citizenship. i think 18 and above cannot apply for a gc with the help of her parents' citizenship.

so, i guess my case is hopeless..


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

argusxyz said:


> thanks for the reply.
> i explained that above: i am a green card owner since 2002 (which is now invalid as twostep says). when i was 17, my mother applied for my gc, because they could only give a gc to me but no citizenship. i mean, i could get a gc via her citizenship. i think 18 and above cannot apply for a gc with the help of her parents' citizenship.
> 
> so, i guess my case is hopeless..


I did not say "invalid". As your mother has not lived in the US for most of her life I do not understand how she sponsored your GC and I put some feelers out. It is your gamble if you want to try entering the US with your GC and potentially going through an immigration judge. Your age is only one factor. I would consult an immigration attorney.


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