U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the release of a new version of Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status.  It is important to note that voluntarily relinquishing lawful permanent resident status may be beneficial for certain individuals and preferable to being deemed to have abandoned it.  Why would someone want to give up their lawful permanent resident status (green card) in the United States considering the numerous challenges associated with achieving this great benefit?

If the individual moves to another country with the intention of making it their primary domicile, it is likely the individual will be deemed to have given up their green card and will not be admitted back into the United States as a lawful permanent resident.  As such, keeping the green card or trying to maintain it after having permanently relocated abroad may be detrimental for a number of reasons, including tax consequences and/or expense of trying to enter the United States with the abandoned green card and being turned around.  What can often happen is that the person is deemed to have abandoned his/her green card but still is obligated to pay U.S. income taxes on worldwide income. 
Continue Reading Abandoning Lawful Permanent Resident Status: Procedure & Considerations