# USA Citizen and English (US Resident) Move to Spain



## JGore (Dec 15, 2011)

Hello All! I am totally new at posting on forums so, patience please. I am a 23 year old American Citizen. My husband is a 30 year old British Citizen who has been living in the states with me on a green card for the past 3 years. My husband's parents live in Spain and I have visited them twice for a few weeks each time. From what I've seen, I very much like the Spanish culture and lifestyle. Although, I am not incredibly familiar with it. I am a very laid back, artistic musical type of woman and I don't think I would have any trouble living in Spain. My husband is a merchant mariner and currently works for a company in Singapore and I do not work. My husband's company will fly him from anywhere in the world to work on the ships that they have him work on so money will not be a problem for us. We bought a house and had our first baby 6 months ago and mild problems with my family have made us start to realize that maybe living near my husband's parents in Spain would be a better option for our family. My question is, if we move to Spain, how easy would it be for my husband to return to the states as a permanent resident if he can at all? Not that I intend to make the move to Spain unprepared, but I want to make sure we can come back "home" as a family in case things don't work out as we plan. Can anyone else shed some light on this situation? Thanks so much in advance!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

JGore said:


> Hello All! I am totally new at posting on forums so, patience please. I am a 23 year old American Citizen. My husband is a 30 year old British Citizen who has been living in the states with me on a green card for the past 3 years. My husband's parents live in Spain and I have visited them twice for a few weeks each time. From what I've seen, I very much like the Spanish culture and lifestyle. Although, I am not incredibly familiar with it. I am a very laid back, artistic musical type of woman and I don't think I would have any trouble living in Spain. My husband is a merchant mariner and currently works for a company in Singapore and I do not work. My husband's company will fly him from anywhere in the world to work on the ships that they have him work on so money will not be a problem for us. We bought a house and had our first baby 6 months ago and mild problems with my family have made us start to realize that maybe living near my husband's parents in Spain would be a better option for our family. My question is, if we move to Spain, how easy would it be for my husband to return to the states as a permanent resident if he can at all? Not that I intend to make the move to Spain unprepared, but I want to make sure we can come back "home" as a family in case things don't work out as we plan. Can anyone else shed some light on this situation? Thanks so much in advance!


You should wait for forum regulars to log on, but basically, provided your husband gets a re-entry permit (I-131) from USCIS (immigration service), he can stay away for two years. If he goes without the permit, his green card (I-551 Lawful Permanent Residence) expires after a year. Even if it's less than that, LPR holders have been grilled at length at US airport on arrival after being away for several months about their true intentions - to live abroad or to remain as US residents. So make sure he gets his re-entry permit before leaving, and come back within 2 years to reassess the situation. But getting succeesive re-entry permits will arouse their suspicions on his true intentions, so be prepared to have a convincing story and evidence of strong ties in US.

All this can be avoided by getting naturalised as US citizen before leaving. There are downsides to having US citizenship, such as needing to file tax return to IRS each year. He must have been married to you for 3 years before he can apply, or 5 years' residence with LPR status.


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## JGore (Dec 15, 2011)

Joppa said:


> You should wait for forum regulars to log on, but basically, provided your husband gets a re-entry permit (I-131) from USCIS (immigration service), he can stay away for two years. If he goes without the permit, his green card (I-551 Lawful Permanent Residence) expires after a year. Even if it's less than that, LPR holders have been grilled at length at US airport on arrival after being away for several months about their true intentions - to live abroad or to remain as US residents. So make sure he gets his re-entry permit before leaving, and come back within 2 years to reassess the situation. But getting succeesive re-entry permits will arouse their suspicions on his true intentions, so be prepared to have a convincing story and evidence of strong ties in US.
> 
> All this can be avoided by getting naturalised as US citizen before leaving. There are downsides to having US citizenship, such as needing to file tax return to IRS each year. He must have been married to you for 3 years before he can apply, or 5 years' residence with LPR status.


Thanks for the information. Sounds like a re-entry permit might be the way to go for him. Although, we already file tax returns (because if you make money in the states it doesn't matter what your status is, you are legally required to file tax returns) I really don't think becoming a US Citizen in a country leading the crashing world economy and a government more corrupt than any past is a good idea at this particular moment. I don't even want to be a citizen here lol. I know that Spain has a bad reputation for government but it can't be worse than ours. My husband is only a resident for a reason. We very much like the option of choosing to live in whichever country we like and being the spouse of an american/spouse of an Englishman offers more opportunities depending on the country. Basically, if things get too bad in the States, we want to keep out options open. Thanks again!


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2011)

JGore said:


> ...I really don't think becoming a US Citizen in a country leading the crashing world economy and a government more corrupt than any past is a good idea at this particular moment. I don't even want to be a citizen here lol. I know that Spain has a bad reputation for government but it can't be worse than ours...


heh. 
Oh dear. 
You're going to be in for a shock here. 

I've been here for four years and I still have bouts of culture shock related to bureaucracy, government, corruption, and cronyism. 

Here's just some of the latest: 
Indicted Gürtel gift-giver denies handing out suits to Camps · ELPAÍS.com in English

Spanish royal son-in-law to be indicted for corruption in coming weeks · ELPAÍS.com in English

Spain's performing rights organisation SGAE raided by anticorruption police (This organization is responsible for charging a tax on any public performance of music. We had to pay over a hundred euros in SGAE tax for my wedding music. Bars, hairdressers, etc. have to pay if they have the radio on in their workplace.) 

This is not to mention the numerous houses being bulldozed because they were built illegally by a construction company or a new law makes them illegal - most times the owners aren't compensated. That, and the airport they built in Castelleon which was inaugurated just before regional elections over a year ago but still hasn't (and likely won't in the near future) seen plane traffic. Instead, they opened it for walkers! 

The conservative party (_Partido Popular_ ) just won national elections and we'll see what happens next. Frankly, I'm not all that excited about the next four years.


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