USA Greencard Holder - moving to singapore

sazzistic · Post by **sazzistic** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 7:55 am

Hello Friends,
I've been offered a position in a local capacity in singapore. My wife and I recently received our Legal Permanent Residency in the USA after spending the last 10years here going to school and working.

Now that we finally have the Green Card, career opportunity is presented to move to Singapore. We really would like to move, but are worried about our green card.

Is there a way to maintain our US GreenCard and work in Singapore for 2 years.
Do we have to pay tax in both countries?

Appreciate the help.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 9:13 am

sazzistic wrote:Hello Friends,
I've been offered a position in a local capacity in singapore. My wife and I recently received our Legal Permanent Residency in the USA after spending the last 10years here going to school and working.

Now that we finally have the Green Card, career opportunity is presented to move to Singapore. We really would like to move, but are worried about our green card.

Is there a way to maintain our US GreenCard and work in Singapore for 2 years.
Do we have to pay tax in both countries?

Appreciate the help.

When I looked into it (quite a long time ago now), and when some of my colleagues had Green Cards, the stand out requirements re: taking a non-US posting were:-
- Reporting for US taxes to the IRAS, and paying what might be due (in parallel with any local tax reporting/payments).
- Being physically present in the US for a period of time each year (in their cases a business trip or holiday).

Things might have changed, so do some Googling on 'US Green card requirements'.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 9:31 am

It's somewhere around there. I got my wife's green card in 1988, but after we decided to stay here we got tired of her flying to Hawaii for 3 days just to get a chop in her passport to validate her green card requirement. At the time I was working for the US Refugee Program and just happened to share the same office with the US INS Immigration Officer. He told me that if I'm not planning to return anytime soon, just turn in the Green Card with the explanation why and from 3 to 6 months before I am ready to return to the US to reapply and supply the INS number for my wife previous visa and we would be good to go. Of course, things have changed in the ensuing years so I don't know how relevant that is going to be under today's political climate.

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 9:48 am

Turn it in.

You'll have to pay US Income tax anywhere you earn money in the world as long as you're a citizen or green card holder.

Post by **Strong Eagle** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 11:20 am

zzm9980 wrote:Turn it in.

You'll have to pay US Income tax anywhere you earn money in the world as long as you're a citizen or green card holder.

Not entirely correct. There is a US earned income exclusion for foreign income, assuming you have been out of the country long enough. For 2013, the amount you can earn without paying US tax is USD 97,600. However, any investment income (rents, dividends, etc) will be taxed at the rate as though the exclusion was not in place.

Me? I'd keep US PR.

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 12:06 pm

Strong Eagle wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:Turn it in.

You'll have to pay US Income tax anywhere you earn money in the world as long as you're a citizen or green card holder.
Not entirely correct. There is a US earned income exclusion for foreign income, assuming you have been out of the country long enough. For 2013, the amount you can earn without paying US tax is USD 97,600. However, any investment income (rents, dividends, etc) will be taxed at the rate as though the exclusion was not in place.

Me? I'd keep US PR.

You're still entirely liable for income tax and filings with one specific exclusion. Investment income, capital gains, rental income, inheritance income, etc. You're liable for all of it still. Plus you have all of the FACTA requirements like filling out an FBAR for every foreign bank account you have.

If you don't own any property or have any investments, and you make less money than the figure Eagle quoted above (and it's only via straight payroll - Stock options and grants don't count in that figure!) then keep the green card. If not, and you don't plan to return to the US soon, dump it.

FaeLLe · Post by **FaeLLe** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 3:56 pm

You will surely lose your Green Card hence putting all your wait for the past 10 years wait to waste (considering you stayed that long for that reason).

In case you would ever want to return to the USA sometime in the future wait till you get naturalised and then explore opportunities in Singapore

02132 · Post by **02132** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 9:24 pm

The US does allow green card holders to apply for reentry permits, which basically formalize your intent to return to the US while you work elsewhere for 2-5 years and theoretically let you keep your green card. I'm not sure whether there is a minimum period of time for which an applicant must have been a US PR before he can apply for a reentry permit. Worth checking with an immigration lawyer.

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Mon, 09 Dec 2013 9:28 pm

02132 wrote:The US does allow green card holders to apply for reentry permits, which basically formalize your intent to return to the US while you work elsewhere for 2-5 years and theoretically let you keep your green card. I'm not sure whether there is a minimum period of time for which an applicant must have been a US PR before he can apply for a reentry permit. Worth checking with an immigration lawyer.

I Am a Permanent Resident
How Do I… Get a Reentry Permit :
http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/file ... s/B5en.pdf

http://www.uscis.gov/i-131

Tanuki · Post by **Tanuki** » Wed, 11 Dec 2013 2:08 pm

02132 wrote:The US does allow green card holders to apply for reentry permits, which basically formalize your intent to return to the US while you work elsewhere for 2-5 years and theoretically let you keep your green card. I'm not sure whether there is a minimum period of time for which an applicant must have been a US PR before he can apply for a reentry permit. Worth checking with an immigration lawyer.

There is no minimum period to have the GC before applying for the reentry permit. I've been through hell and back with USCIS on all this for my wife a couple of times now. You can leave the US for up to one year without needing the permit, so longer than that you will need it. One shitty rule is that you MUST apply on US soil. They will absolutely deny the request if you file from outside the US. But they will cash your check... The first one is good for 2 years but after that it's only one year at a time. It takes 6 months or so to actually receive it. My wife's will arrive here at the US Consulate sometime soon. Considering how hard it is to get the GC, I'd certainly plan to try to keep it. USCIS is likely to contest it if you stay out more than 4 or 5 years. Keep a good address and keep your driver license current in the states, as that shows intent to return.

Tanuki

FaeLLe · Post by **FaeLLe** » Wed, 11 Dec 2013 3:04 pm

USIC will absolutely contest and question your ability to obtain a reentry visa if you have been outside the USA (with no ties) for a few years.

Good luck if you want to let it lapse but it is just a gamble.

You might as well get naturalised as a US citizen and then explore alternate prospects if you ever plan to return the USA.

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USA Greencard Holder - moving to singapore

USA Greencard Holder - moving to singapore

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