If you are outside of the United States and looking to submit Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Residence Status, you will have to take into consideration the time it takes to mail it to a PO box in the US instead of simply submitting it at a local US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office. From July 1, 2019, all international USCIS offices will stop accepting Form I-407s. This is in keeping with the announcement to shut all USCIS international offices and bring home all administrative tasks. Going forward all Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Residence Status should be mailed to –

USCIS Eastern Forms Center
Attn: I-407 Unit
124 Leroy Road
PO Box 567 Williston, VT 05495

To be kept in mind, no couriers will be accepted at this PO box address.

Why is this Important to US Green Card Holders?

• If, for whatever reasons, a legal US permanent resident does not plan on maintaining his US resident status and fails to submit the Form I-407 in a timely manner, if he wishes to come back, this abandonment will be used against him. Filing the form is always advisable.
• Once filed and acknowledged by USCIS, the green card holder need not file income taxes as a US resident.
• A legal US resident living outside of the US does not have to be concerned about the many requirements of maintaining US residency if he has filed the Form I-407.
• This is particularly important for EB-5 visa holders who have to strictly maintain their residency or risk inadmissibility.
• If not filing for Form I-407, EB-5 petitioners have to ensure they have a reentry permit on hand and be able to show substantial ties to the US if gone for a long duration.
• A Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Residence Status prevents the struggle of removing conditions on the green card or applying for naturalization by filing the N-400 form.

If you are traveling outside the US, here are the requirements for international travel on a Green Card.