When you were born in another nation but wish to live in Georgia or another part of the United States on a permanent basis, part of the process involves securing a green card, which grants you lawful permanent resident status. However, certain actions have the potential to jeopardize your green card, and once you lose it, you may have a hard time getting it back.
Per U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there are several things you might do that could threaten the status of your green card. Some of them are as follows.
Make certain tax errors
You have to be truthful and upfront about your immigration status when filing your U.S. tax return. Declaring yourself a nonimmigrant when you file your tax return is one way to potentially lose your green card.
Stay abroad too long
If you move to another country and intend to stay there on a permanent basis, you abandon your green card in doing so. You also face restrictions in terms of how long you may travel abroad while living in the United States as a lawful permanent resident. You need to be able to explain that any trips you took abroad were temporary in nature.
Receive a criminal conviction
Certain criminal convictions may also lead to serious trouble for immigrants. Some types of convictions may lead to prompt deportation and the loss of your green card.
A green card is not always easy to obtain. Once you have one, you may be able to help protect it by avoiding making any of the mistakes outlined above.
