Can I lose my status as a permanent resident?

A. Yes, there are several ways you can lose your permanent resident status. You can lose it by:

Engaging in certain illegal activities inside or outside the United States;
By abandonment or relinquishment;
By leaving the country while in a removal proceeding;
By entering the United States at a place other than an official port of entry;
By being absent from the United States for more than 180 days. If you are out of the United States for more than 6 months, they will presume that you have abandoned your permanent residency. The burden will be on you to prove that you have not abandoned your status. This is a difficult burden to prove. If you know that you are going to be out of the United States for a lengthy period of time, you should apply for a re-entry permit before you leave.