New Green Card Rules for This Year
When you’re a lawful permanent resident of the United States, you’ll get a “green card.” That card shows your residency status – but there are a few new rules that you need to know about. The new rules could impact your status as a lawful permanent resident, or LPR, now and in the future.
New Green Card Rules That Could Affect Wisconsin Immigrants
The new green card rules involve:
- Failing to cite immigrant status on tax returns or failing to report income can be a removable offense
- You must register with the U.S. Selective Service if you are a male aged 18 to 25 or risk removal
- An extended trip overseas can be considered “abandonment” and result in removal
Here’s a closer look at each.
Immigrant Status on Tax Returns
If you fail to choose the appropriate immigrant status on your tax return, or if you fail to report income, you could be deported. For example, if you work “under the table” (meaning you work for cash and are paid directly by another person, and neither you nor that person reports the income to the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS) and the IRS catches you, you can be removed from the country.
Related: Green card FAQ
Registration With the Selective Service
If you are a male green card-holder between the ages of 18 and 25, you are legally required to register with the U.S. Selective Service System, or SSS) within 30 days of your arrival in the United States. That includes everyone – and if you don’t yet have a Social Security Number, you must apply for one.
Abandonment of the Green Card
Your green card is invalid for reentry into the United States if you’ve been gone for more than a year – but even if you’ve only been gone for 6 months, you could be subject to additional scrutiny about the nature of your trip abroad. If you’re gone for too long and the official asking you questions believes you don’t intend to keep your LPR status, he or she may ask you to sign Form I-407, which is the Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status. You do not have to sign that form – no matter what anyone tells you. If the official interviewing you does not believe that you’re not abandoning your green card, he or she can refer you to immigration court for removal proceedings, and in that case, you should contact an immigration attorney.
Related: How long can you stay out of the U.S. with a green card?
Do You Need to Talk to an Immigration Attorney About the New Green Card Rules?
If you have any questions about immigration, from green cards and naturalization to nonimmigrant visas or temporary protected status, we’re here for you. Call us at 414-383-6700 now.