Under normal circumstances, a lawful permanent resident (LPR) is considered to have abandoned their status if they move to another country with the intent to reside there permanently. But in certain situations, an LPR may begin to or continue to reside in a foreign contiguous territory and commute to the United States for employment. This administrative grant of commuter status is only available to LPRs living in Canada or Mexico.

The two types of commuters are:

• Those who commute for regular employment in the United States; and

• Those who enter to perform seasonal work in the United States, but whose presence in the United States is for 6 months or less, in the aggregate, during any continuous 12-month period (seasonal commuters or seasonal workers).

LPRs must use the Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card—Form I-90—to take up commuter status or when taking up actual residence in the United States after having been a commuter. Commuters receive a Permanent Resident Card (PRC) that indicates their status as a commuter. Commuters must also use Form I-90 to replace their commuter PRCs.

Eligibility Requirements

Obtaining Commuter Status

To be eligible for commuter status, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Establish LPR status;

• Establish they live in Canada or Mexico; and

• Establish employment in the United States within the 6 months before filing.

Evidence of employment may include:

• Employment pay stubs showing employment in the United States; or

• An employment letter on company letterhead showing current employment in the United States.
Applicants should refer to the Form I-90 instructions for further information on evidentiary requirements. Upon approval, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues the applicant a PRC indicating status as a commuter.

Removing Commuter Status

A commuter who begins residing in the United States after having been a commuter must use Form I-90 to request to remove commuter status from his or her PRC. The commuter should submit evidence of a U.S. address with Form I-90. Evidence may include a lease agreement, property deed, or utility bill dated within the 6 months before filing Form I-90. Applicants should refer to the Form I-90 instructions for further information on evidentiary requirements.

A seasonal worker is presumed to be residing in the United States if they are present in the United States for more than 6 months, in the aggregate, during any continuous 12-month period. In such a case, the seasonal worker is no longer eligible for commuter status.

Loss of Permanent Resident Status for Commuters

A commuter who has been out of regular employment in the United States for a continuous period of 6 months loses LPR status. But an exception applies when employment in the United States was interrupted for reasons beyond the person’s control (other than lack of a job opportunity) or when the commuter can demonstrate that they worked 90 days in the United States during the 12-month period before the application for admission into the United States at a port of entry.

In Rhode Island, as in all states, lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who wish to maintain their status while living in Canada or Mexico and commuting to the U.S. for work can apply for commuter status. To obtain this status, LPRs must prove their residency in Canada or Mexico, their LPR status, and their employment in the U.S. within six months prior to filing the application. They must use Form I-90 to apply for or change their commuter status and to replace their Permanent Resident Card (PRC) when necessary. Commuter status allows for regular or seasonal employment in the U.S., with seasonal workers limited to less than six months in the U.S. during any 12-month period. If a commuter establishes residence in the U.S. or a seasonal worker exceeds their time limit, they must use Form I-90 to adjust their status. Failure to maintain employment in the U.S. for more than six months without a valid reason can result in the loss of LPR status. The process and requirements are governed by federal immigration laws and regulations, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) oversees the application and status maintenance for commuters.