This is going to be a long post, but I'll add a TL;DR at the bottom for a summary.
My dad is a US citizen and has spent 40+ years there. He has kids born in the US, although I was born in a foreign country. I started my application for visa around 2010 and received a visa to travel to the US in 2012 (I was around 11 years at this time).
My dad and I never got along, as we'd never lived together, even while my mother was still alive. One thing led to another and he decided retuning me to a Third World country was the best option for me (against my will).
I've stayed in this country since 2012, with my dad making no effort to bring me back. My American passport expired in 2018 (he didn't tell me until I asked him) and now, my permanent residency permit is due to expire early next year.
He's asking me to travel to the US before I turn 21 later this year because, according to his lawyer, he cannot petition for me to renew my green card once I reach the age of 21. He's also saying that I don't need to renew my expired American passport, as I still have my green card, which is quite confusing.
All these is problematic for me because I'm in my senior year and travelling would potentially stall my education. If I have to do it, then I want to know if it's necessary. Is it true that parents cannot file for their child's green card once they reach 21 years?
Also, another important thing: I researched and found that permanent residents who stay outside of the US for more than a year are believed to have "abandoned" their green card, and may be denied re-entry.
I've been out of the US since 2012, does this affect me? Does it mean I can no longer enter the US? Thanks in advance for your helpful replies!
TL;DR: I'm a US citizen by birth (my dad is a citizen), but I've been out of the US for 8+ years. Does this mean my permanent residency permit is no longer valid? And is it true that my dad cannot petition for a green card renewal for me if I turn 21?
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/comments/ozujia/help_young_adult_confused_about_us_immigration_law/