<h1>&bull; Special Immigrants &bull; Returning Lawful Residents of United States</h1> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A returning resident, designated in the statute as a special immigrant,&rsquo; is granted a number of benefits under the immigration laws. In addition to exemption from the numerical restrictions, he is relieved from some documentary&nbsp;requirements and may in some instances obtain a waiver&nbsp;of substantive disqualifications which ordinarily would&nbsp;inhibit his entry. But he is nevertheless an immigrant, and&nbsp;can be barred upon his return if he is excludable under the&nbsp;immigration laws. Even a reentry permit does not guaran tee his return if he is found inadmissible when he seeks&nbsp;to reenter.</p> <p>Under the statutory specification the special immigrant&nbsp;status granted to returning residents has two prerequisites: a lawful admission for permanent residence, and a&nbsp;temporary visit abroad.</p> <p>The statute defines law admission for permanent residence as &ldquo;the status of having been lawfully accorded the&nbsp;privilege of residing permanently in the United States as&nbsp;an immigrant in accordance with the immigration laws,&nbsp;such status not having changed.&rdquo;</p> <p>The second facet of the statutory requirement is that&nbsp;the absence abroad must be temporary. The criterion is&nbsp;whether the alien intended to abandon his residence in the United States,3 or whether he had an intention of returning within a short, fixed time when he left.</p>