I have been permanent residents since 2008. I will be graduating from high school soon and am planning on going back to India for college. What must I do so that I can keep US permanent residence while I am in college? 

US permanent residents must continue to maintain the US as their primary residence or they risk abandoning their status. Here are some tips on how a US permanent resident can maintain their status while they are studying abroad:

-          Obtain a Reentry Permit and return to the US before it expires. The Reentry Permit is only valid for 2 years. Do not stay abroad beyond the expiration date on the reentry Permit; The foreign national must be in the US when they apply for a new Reentry Permit;

-          Continue to use parents’ US address as primary residence;

-          File U.S. tax returns or have parents’ list foreign national on their tax returns. Be careful that the foreign national should not be listed as a nonresident on the tax returns;

-          Where possible the foreign national should return to the US at least once every 11.5 months. Even better is if the foreign national can return to the US at least once every 5.5 months;

-          The foreign national should not purchase a home abroad;

-          The foreign national should not take employment abroad;

-          The foreign national should keep their US driver’s license current.