I am a

permanent resident B4

How do I know what

my responsibilities are?

Everyone in the United States must abide by U.S. law, including 

Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. Permanent residents 

who fail to abide by the laws of the United States may have their 

status taken away through removal proceedings. This customer 

guide contains some important information that may help you 

protect and maintain your permanent resident status. 

File Tax Returns

If you are a permanent resident and intend to maintain permanent 

resident status, you should file a Federal tax return with the Internal 

Revenue Service (IRS) and any applicable State, city, and local tax 

returns when required to do so. Under immigration law, a permanent 

resident who is required to file a tax return as a resident and fails to 

do so, or who files a nonresident alien tax form, may be considered 

to have abandoned his or her status and may lose permanent 

resident status. Please visit the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov for 

more information about taxes and tax returns. 

Get a Social Security Number 

Be sure to get your Social Security card. A Social Security Number 

is usually necessary for taxes and employment purposes. Please 

visit the Social Security Administration’s Web site at www.

socialsecurity.gov for more information about Social Security 

numbers and cards.

Register With the Selective Service 

If you are a male between the ages of 18 and 26, be sure to register 

with the Selective Service. Please visit the Selective Service Web site 

for more information at www.sss.gov.

Keep Your Permanent Resident Card Up to Date 

Be sure to file to renew your Permanent Resident Card before it 

expires. For more information about renewing your Permanent 

Resident Card, please see Customer Guide B2,

I Am a Permanent Resident...How Do I...Renew or Replace 

My Permanent Resident Card?, or visit our Web site. 

Traveling Outside of the United States 

Permanent residence normally permits you to travel outside the 

United States and to return; however, there are some limitations. 

Lengthy absences, particularly if they involve work or taking up 

residence abroad, can lead to abandonment and loss of permanent 

residence status, or delayed eligibility for naturalization. Absence 

for 1 year or more can cause serious problems. Remember that, in 

order to enter another country, you must comply with that country’s 

requirements, which may include having your U.S. Permanent 

Resident Card, obtaining a visa, or using your passport from your 

country of nationality.

You may be able to reduce the risk of abandonment by filing 

for a “reentry permit,” using Form I-131, Application for Travel 

Document, before you depart. Additional information on reentry 

permits is available in customer guide B5, I Am a Permanent 

Resident...How Do I...Get a Reentry Permit?

Under limited circumstances, you may be able to protect your 

eligibility for naturalization by filing Form N-470, Application to 

Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes, before you depart. 

Criminal convictions can trigger special grounds that make you 

inadmissible, preventing you from being re-admitted to the United 

States after international travel.

Where can I find information about life in the United 

States, including information about my other rights and 

responsibilities as a permanent resident? 

To help you learn about your new responsibilities, rights, and 

privileges, we have created a manual, M-618, Welcome to the 

United States: A Guide for New Immigrants. It contains basic 

information to help you settle in the United States and find what 

you and your family need for everyday life. It also summarizes 

important information about your legal status and about agencies 

and organizations that provide documents or essential services you 

may need. You can download Welcome to the United States: A Guide 

for New Immigrants from our Web site at www.uscis.gov. The 

guide is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, 

Korean, Russian, Arabic, French, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. 

B4—I am a permanent resident...How do I know what my responsibilities are?

M-607B (October 2013) Y 1
2 B4—I am a permanent resident...How do I know what my responsibilities are?

M-607B (October 2013) Y

Key Information

Key USCIS forms referenced 

in this guide 

Form #

Welcome to the United States: A Guide for 

New Immigrants 

M-618 

Application for Travel Document I-131

Application to Preserve Residence for 

Naturalization Purposes N-470

Other U.S. Government Services–Click or Call

General 

Information

www.usa.gov 1-800-333-4636

New 

Immigrants

www.welcometoUSA.gov

U.S. Dept. 

of State

www.state.gov 1-202-647-6575

U.S. Social 

Security

www.ssa.gov 1-800-772-1213

U.S. Selective 

Service www.sss.gov 1-847-688-6888

U.S. Internal 

Revenue 

Service

www.irs.gov 1-800-829-1040

For more copies of this guide, or information 

about other customer guides, please visit 

www.uscis.gov/howdoi. 

You can also visit www.uscis.gov to 

download forms, e-file some applications, 

check the status of an application, and more. 

It’s a great place to start!

If you don’t have Internet access at home 

or work, try your local library. 

If you cannot find what you need, please call 

Customer Service at: 1-800-375-5283 

Hearing Impaired TDD Customer Service: 

1-800-767-1833

Disclaimer: This guide provides basic information 

to help you become generally familiar with our 

rules and procedures. For more information, or 

the law and regulations, please visit our Web 

site. Immigration law can be complex, and it is 

impossible to describe every aspect of every 

process. You may wish to be represented by 

a licensed attorney or by a nonprofit agency 

accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals.