Before I get flamed, I am sorry if this is not the correct place to post this. But I am looking for info. First let me explain.

I am a dutch citizen, however I grew up in the USA from the age of 1 to 23, at which time I moved back to the Netherlands. I had at that time a green card.

It is now my greatest wish to move back to what I consider my home town in Virginia where I grew up and where my son was born ( yes he is a US citizen )

My problem is due to the fact I have now lived for 17 years in NL. My green card is no longer any good as far as I can tell.

Has anyone else ever had this problem or advice over this?

thanks
Marcel

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

Maintaining Permanent Residence
Maintaining Permanent Residence You may lose your permanent residence status if you commit an act that makes you removable from the United States under the law in section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If you commit such an act, you may be brought before the immigration courts to determine your right to remain a Permanent Resident.

You may be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status if you:

* Move to another country intending to live there permanently.
* Remain outside of the US for more than one year without obtaining a reentry permit or returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.
* Remain outside of the US for more than two years after issuance of a reentry permit without obtaining a returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.
* Fail to file income tax returns while living outside of the US for any period.
* Declare yourself a “nonimmigrant” on your tax returns.

Mindlessly quoting laws never does anyone any good. I would see if you can contact a lawyer in the US who specializes in abandonment issues with Green Cards. You never know....

I agree with Barfly, you need to see an immigration attorney.

However, your problem is not strange. A Green Card is for PERMANENT residency and you left the country. I think your chances of getting this GC back are slim but I am not an attorney.

I highly recommend you register and post in this fourm:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=34

THere is a great deal of knowledge there and you can get recommendations on an attorney.

Where is Virginia? I lived there a long time.

Even if you do not get the old GC back, you have a great advantage as your direct relative is a US citizen.

Good luck

Unless you happen to be buddies with some congressman I'd say after 17 years it would be a mission impossible to get a new GC on the basis of the old one.

And your knowledge on this is..... zero? Less than zero? Our legal system is VERY different than Continental European ones.

Obviously didn't make much of an impression on you!

Marcel, I agree that this is the kind of problem that requires expert advice. You won't find that here. I suggest hiring an American immigration attorney to sort things out for you.

You lived for a long time in the US but neither you or your parents ever thought of arranging for you to become a citizen. (Not a flame; just a comment.) Your post illustrates why it's important not to try to get by as a "resident". I think it's usually better to apply for citizenship whenever it becomes available to you. (As long as you don't lose your former citizenship.)