Is it possible to surrender green card and reapply later?

Answer 1

My guess would be you would have to repeat the whole process over again and it's getting harder to get a green card now. You should really ask an Immigration attorney. It's not free, but at visanow.com, you can talk to an immigration attorney online, its cheaper than in an office. I found this information, it may be helpful. Keeping Your Green Card After You Get It Follow these rules and you won't lose your status as a permanent resident of the U.S. Once you receive a green card, you must meet a few conditions if you want to keep it for life. For one thing, you must not violate certain criminal or immigration laws -- including one law that requires you to advise the immigration authorities within ten days if you change addresses. For another, you must not abandon the United States as your permanent residence. For detailed information on protecting and making the most of your status as a permanent resident, see U.S. Immigration Made Easy, by Ilona Bray, J.D. The most common way that people lose their right to a green card is by committing a crime. Unlike what is commonly believed, it doesn't have to be a major crime or a felony. For example, a person can be deported for helping someone enter the United States illegally, for committing domestic violence, for possessing even a small amount of drugs, or for any crime that's considered morally wrong (such as fraud, theft, a crime with the intent of doing great bodily harm, or a sex offense). Some of these crimes are misdemeanors that may not be punishable with time in jail. However, there is no set list that tells you which crimes make you deportable. If you are arrested for anything at all, consult not only a criminal lawyer, but also an immigration lawyer to find out whether and how you can avoid deportation. Very few criminal lawyers understand the immigration laws -- and many of them encourage you to plead guilty to something as a way of avoiding jail time, not realizing that your guilty plea may get you deported. In addition, a person can be deported for certain violations that don't fall under the criminal laws. For example, if U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) discovers that you got your green card through a fraudulent (sham) marriage, or any other type of fraud, you can be deported. An immigrant can even be deported for failing to advise USCIS of a change of address within ten days of moving. In the past, USCIS almost never did anything about this. However, with increased security concerns, USCIS has begun using this rule against people it wishes to remove from the United States. You can now use USCIS's online service to notify it of your change of address If you hold a green card and know in advance that you must be outside the United States for more than one year, it's worth applying to USCIS for a reentry permit. This lets you to stay away for up to two years. You should send in your application before leaving. Use Form I-131, available on the USCIS website (www.uscis.gov). Your reentry permit will serve as an entry document when you are ready to return. Reentry permits cannot be renewed and can be applied for only inside the United States. If you want to stay away for more than two years, you must return briefly and apply for another reentry permit. File for Citizenship to Avoid These Problems You can lower the chances of losing your residence in the United States by applying for citizenship as soon as you are eligible. The waiting time for eligibility is usually five years after you get a green card, but there are exceptions: For example, the wait essentially drops to four years if you received political asylum (because your first year as an asylee counts), and to three years if, at the time you got your green card, you were married to a U.S. citizen and you're still married and living together. For more information about qualifying for citizenship, see the article Applying for U.S. Citizenship and Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview, by Ilona Bray, J.D.

Answer 2

I don't think once can simply re-instate US green card - one can apply for a returning resident visa at a US consulate with evidence that the stay out of US was for reasons beyond one's control. If approved, you will be given a new immigrant visa.

Since you voluntarily surrendered your green card, this option is not available to you.

You will have to start your green card process all over again.