Embassy of the United States Georgia

Returning Residents

If you are a Permanent Resident returning to the United States from a visit abroad of less than a year, you may apply for readmission by presenting an Alien Registration Card (also known as a “Green Card”) to the immigration authorities at a port of entry.  If you have remained outside the United States for more than a year and have not applied for a reentry permit (Form I-131) with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before your travel abroad, you are generally considered to have abandoned U.S. residency and are subject to loss of Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status.

There is a special immigrant visa SB-1 created for cases when a legal permanent resident is outside the U.S. for longer than one year due to circumstances beyond their control.  If you meet the conditions below you may apply for an SB-1 visa at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi and a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified for readmission.

You must establish the following in order to qualify as a returning resident alien:

• At the time of departure you were a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the U.S.;
• At the time of the departure, you had the intention of returning to the United States;
• While residing abroad, you did not abandon the intention to return to the United States; and
• You are returning from a temporary visit abroad; or if the stay was protracted, it was caused by reasons beyond your control.

If you believe you meet these requirements and wish to apply for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, please send an e-mail to askconsultbilisi@state.gov to make an appointment for an interview, with the following information:

• Name and Surname:
• Date of Birth:
• Alien Registration Number (A#):

At the time of you scheduled appointment, you will need to bring:

• Form DS-117 (PDF 296KB):
  Application to Determine Returning Resident Status;
• Form I-551:
  Your Permanent Resident Card;
• Your Re-entry Permit, if available:
  For information on how to get a Reentry Permit, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Imigration Service (USCIS) guide “Get a Reentry Permit” (PDF 1.18MB)
• Application Fee: $275.00

You must also bring documentary evidence of continued intent to maintain U.S. residence which may consist of, but is not limited to, the following:

• Dates of travel outside the United States (examples: airline tickets, passport stamps, etc);
• A U.S. driver's license reflecting same address as that recorded on form I-94 “Arrival Departure Record”;
• The name and address of your U.S. employer;
• Evidence of children's enrollment in a U.S. school;
• Evidence of property ownership, whether real or personal, in the United States;
• Evidence of having filed a U.S. income tax return(s) for the past year(s);
• Evidence that the extended visit abroad was caused by unforeseen circumstances, beyond your control.

On the date of your interview, a Consular officer will review your application and supporting documents to determine whether you meet the criteria for Returning Resident (SB-1) status.  If you do, you must be eligible for the immigrant visa in all other respects in order to be issued a Returning Resident SB-1 immigrant visa.

If the application for returning resident status is approved by the consular officer, you will be sent information regarding the process of applying for the Returning Resident (SB-1) visa.  You will have to pay the immigrant visa fee and return on a different day with the required documents and proceed with the immigrant visa interview.

If the Returning Resident (SB-1) status is refused on the grounds that you cannot submit convincing evidence of compelling ties in U.S.A., you may be required to apply for an immigrant visa on the same basis by which you originally immigrated.

For more information on Returning Residents please visit the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs webpage “Returning Resident Visas (http://travel.state.gov/).