Sorry for the long post, but any help would be VERY much appreciated. Also, I am looking for a good immigration lawyer that might be able to help.
----------
I am a Canadian citizen. I first received a US Green card in 1995, when I was 9 years old. My family moved back to Canada in 2000, and I went with them to start High School. The green card was renewed in 2005.
In 2008, I was pulled aside by US customs in a Canadian airport, and told I must sign the I-407 (Abandonment of Green Card) to give up the permanent resident status. They didn't really give me an option. The phrase "I have no intention of seeking to live in the USA" appears in my statement, but I was told by the immigration officer at the time that this must be included. (In fact, he is the one who typed up the statement on the form).
Currently, I am a foreign Medical Student living & doing clinical rotations in the US (NY) on a B1 visa.
Recently, I was told by a customs officer in Buffalo that once I had established residence in the US for 1 year as a PR, I was allowed to leave the US for "an indefinite amount of time for education" (he didn't specify if this included high school; I had just graduated from a Canadian university when I signed the I-407), and I should have been given the option to keep my Green Card.
He told me I would be able to go to a border and ask the agent to reinstate PR status (I believe he said within 1 year of finishing school), and get a court date to finalize it.
Especially since the agent at the Canadian airport didn't give me any options back when I signed the I-407, he said the judge might look favorably on my case to reinstate the green card.
----------
My main reason for pursuing a green card is because I will be applying to Medical Residency positions (a paid job) in the US, and possessing a green card will greatly ease this process. I do wish to remain in the US at this time.
I don't know if it will help my case, but to show my "intention" of wanting to stay in the US, I had renewed my Green Card in 2005, and I had applied to US medical schools in 2007 and 2008.
I know my stay outside the US was very extended. But, is there any truth to the US Customs agent's claim that I was allowed "indefinite leave" for school?
FYI, 6(d) on my I-407 has a note reading: "If you waive your right to a hearing now, you can have a hearing at any time hereafter before an immigration judge to determine your admissibility by presenting yourself at a port of entry to the United States and seeking entry. If you do seek a later hearing the immigration judge can and will take into account all statements you have made concerning your abandonment of residence in the United States."
Finally, if I were to make a go of this route, and I am refused by the judge in my hearing, will there be any repercussions to obtaining future non-resident visas? (e.g. H1B, J1, etc)
Thank you!

