Green Card and Duration of Stay in US

[star59]

What is the name of your state? NJ

My mother, who is a green card holder, travels to and from her country of birth. How long does she have to stay in the US during a calendar year, so that her green card is not invalidated? She is planning to spend only 5 months straight here, then wants to celebrate her 75th birthday in the Philippines.

 

[ImmigAttyLana]

She should not be outside the US for more than 6 months at a time in order not to lose her permanent resident status. However, it's not like she can be 6 months in the US and 6 months in the Philippines forever. There has to be showing of intent to reside permanently in the US which is why she has the permanent resident status. If she does this type of staying outside the US for a very long time several times, she may be denied entry back to the US as she might be questioned as to her intent, etc. She should be maintaining ties to the US to show that her intent is, indeed, to remain permanently in the US. Only once she has US citizenship, then she can stay outside the US for as long as she wants without losing that status.