A teenager became a legal permanent resident of the U.S., but ended up going back to her nation of origin for several years to attend school. She doesn't have a reentry permit, and has been absent for four years. Can she still reenter the U.S.?
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A teenager became a legal permanent resident of the U.S., but ended up going back to her nation of origin for several years to attend school. She doesn't have a reentry permit, and has been absent for four years. Can she still reenter the U.S.?
Her parents should discuss the situation in detail with an immigration lawyer, and try to form a strategy that might allow her to salvage her permanent residency. The USCIS may give her more latitude, given that she is a minor, but the rules for long-term absence apply to minors as well as adults.
If she were to try to reenter with a permanent resident or U.S. citizen parent, there is a possibility that she would be permitted to enter -- but there's also a possibility that she would not be permitted to enter, and even if she enters she should expect that she will have to address her immigration issues or return to her nation of origin at the end of any authorized stay. If possible, these are issues best worked out in advance.