
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 8USC1203]

 
                     TITLE 8--ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
 
                 CHAPTER 12--IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY
 
                       SUBCHAPTER II--IMMIGRATION
 
                  Part III--Issuance of Entry Documents
 
Sec. 1203. Reentry permit


(a) Application; contents

    (1) Any alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or (2) any 
alien lawfully admitted to the United States pursuant to clause 6 of 
section 3 of the Immigration Act of 1924, between July 1, 1924, and July 
5, 1932, both dates inclusive, who intends to depart temporarily from 
the United States may make application to the Attorney General for a 
permit to reenter the United States, stating the length of his intended 
absence or absences, and the reasons therefor. Such applications shall 
be made under oath, and shall be in such form, contain such information, 
and be accompanied by such photographs of the applicant as may be by 
regulations prescribed.

(b) Issuance of permit; nonrenewability

    If the Attorney General finds (1) that the applicant under 
subsection (a)(1) of this section has been lawfully admitted to the 
United States for permanent residence, or that the applicant under 
subsection (a)(2) of this section has since admission maintained the 
status required of him at the time of his admission and such applicant 
desires to visit abroad and to return to the United States to resume the 
status existing at the time of his departure for such visit, (2) that 
the application is made in good faith, and (3) that the alien's proposed 
departure from the United States would not be contrary to the interests 
of the United States, the Attorney General may, in his discretion, issue 
the permit, which shall be valid for not more than two years from the 
date of issuance and shall not be renewable. The permit shall be in such 
form as shall be by regulations prescribed for the complete 
identification of the alien.

(c) Multiple reentries

    During the period of validity, such permit may be used by the alien 
in making one or more applications for reentry into the United States.

(d) Presented and surrendered

    Upon the return of the alien to the United States the permit shall 
be presented to the immigration officer at the port of entry, and upon 
the expiration of its validity, the permit shall be surrendered to the 
Service.

(e) Permit in lieu of visa

    A permit issued under this section in the possession of the person 
to whom issued, shall be accepted in lieu of any visa which otherwise 
would be required from such person under this chapter. Otherwise a 
permit issued under this section shall have no effect under the 
immigration laws except to show that the alien to whom it was issued is 
returning from a temporary visit abroad; but nothing in this section 
shall be construed as making such permit the exclusive means of 
establishing that the alien is so returning.

(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 3, Sec. 223, 66 Stat. 194; Pub. 
L. 97-116, Sec. 6, Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1615.)

                       References in Text

    Clause (6) of section 3 of the Immigration Act of 1924, referred to 
in subsec. (a), which was classified to section 203(6) of this title, 
was repealed by section 403(a)(2) of act June 27, 1952. See section 
1101(a)(15)(E) of this title.


                               Amendments

    1981--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97-116 substituted ``two years from the 
date of issuance and shall not be renewable'' for ``one year from the 
date of issuance: Provided, That the Attorney General may in his 
discretion extend the validity of the permit for a period or periods not 
exceeding one year in the aggregate''.


                    Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 97-116 effective Dec. 29, 1981, see section 
21(a) of Pub. L. 97-116, set out as a note under section 1101 of this 
title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 1352 of this title.
