US Permanent Resident going abroad

[Argentina]

Greetings,
I am US citizen, my husband Indonesian citizen. While we are planning to live here in Indonesia, I am considering applying Green Card for my husband because we heard that is enough to be present in the US at least one day out of the year to keep permanent residency.
On the other hand I searched there is an application for: if the green card holder plans to be outside the US for more than 1 year (but less than 2 years) he can apply for a re-entry permit which allows him to be abroad for 2 years.

What I can't find yet is, if he just plans to be abroad less than a year (will be back in less than a year) applying for that re-entry permit is a must? (the reason I ask is because the application for that re-entry permit is 575 USD)

 

[snpark]

Isn't it easier to just make sure you go back once a year for a couple of days? Then you're sure either way. Combine with a medical or renew SSID or licence etc

 

[Hawk256]

I think to get the green card, you have to be planning to reside in the US and spend a considerable amout of time there for the inital approval process. I have considered getting a green card for my wife but don't see a current benefit for now. Maybe things will change in the future.

 

[ChrisTex]

You can't apply for a green card straight away. You can't even apply for the a resident visa until after you have made a petition first.

 

[Hawk256]

You can't apply for a green card straight away. You can't even apply for the a resident visa until after you have made a petition first.

When I quickly looked into it, even if you get the inital approval, you were looking at a least a year to be in the US to get through the system. However, I have no expereice beyond that. YMMV

 

[Argentina]

Thank you everyone, actually I did find the information, if he goes abroad for less than a year there is no need for filing the I-131 which is the re-entry permit. But it is true the permanent residency is mainly for the purpose of staying there.

 

[Vanuatu]

I did my wife's green card at the embassy in Jakarta back in 2015, it took about 45 days from initial application to approval, but we got an exception to have it processed in Jakarta and I had a job offer in America with a start date 60 days out so they rushed it for me. We are now back in Indonesia for almost two years and she hasn't returned to America so I am processing returning and cancelling her green card and moving to a 5 year tourist visa as having a green card subjects her to world wide taxation on income, plus being out of the US for almost 2 years creates some issues if she returns using the green card, not impossible, but still a pain. If you are planning to live in Indonesia it would make more sense just to get a 5 year visitor visa for your husband so you don't have to worry about tax implications nor returning every 12 months to the US.

 

[ChrisTex]

When I quickly looked into it, even if you get the inital approval, you were looking at a least a year to be in the US to get through the system. However, I have no expereice beyond that. YMMV

I have heard different things and I'm going through the process now with the missus. Right now the US site it says 12 months, but the wife is also in a facebook group where others share their experience. Some are reporting between 6-8 process time for the sponse sponsored visa which you need for a couple of years before you can even apply for the green card.(similar to KITAs to KITAP).

Then there is the K1 fiance visa(best known from the TV show 90 Fiance). That is a headache as I have a friend who is going through it with his fiance.