Does your good or bad credit follow you around the world?

The best advice in that case is what has been advised above; get in touch with your creditors and try to work out a lower payment plan based on your circumstances rather than paying below the minimum without informing them, as that will just lead to worse credit and higher payments in the long run.

This. I think they can still not "count" your payment if it's not made in full (i.e. the minimum payment) unless they've agreed on a lower payment for you. Obviously if they don't count it they can ding your credit report for missed/late payments, and tack on extra fees or adjust your rate for "violating your terms". If you can get them to agree to a modified payment plan, though, you can pay the lower amount (that you agree to) and maintain your good credit as well.

Gabby, contact them, most creditors will work with you to lower your monthly payment, and you can get on a low-income plan with little trouble. you're not the only one, and they are totally used to doing this--people can get on plans with payments as low as $10 a month (one of my friends is after her family lost everything because of health care debts).

The problem with ignoring it (besides having issues with citizenship and possibly ILR), is that it can haunt you if you choose to go back, and it can cause trouble for people they CAN find (ie though illegal, they will harass people at your old address).  They can get a judgement against you in some states, I think, because we've heard of people on here who have judgements against them that they were unaware of because they were done in a different state etc.

IMO, you never know what could happen in the future.  If you ever find yourself back in the US, and you've not been keeping up with your debts or made suitable arrangements for a payment plan, I could see where you might find yourself in a world of trouble. 

Got it! I shall contact them. Thanks guys, you always have my back!

This. I think they can still not "count" your payment if it's not made in full (i.e. the minimum payment) unless they've agreed on a lower payment for you. Obviously if they don't count it they can ding your credit report for missed/late payments, and tack on extra fees or adjust your rate for "violating your terms". If you can get them to agree to a modified payment plan, though, you can pay the lower amount (that you agree to) and maintain your good credit as well.

Well, this doesn't really maintain your good credit, as often times when you create a debt modification plan like this the creditors will notate "paid or settled for less than full" on your reports.

Also, if you're in default, paying less than the full amount owed restarts the statute of limitations clock for them to sue you for the remainder.

However, the underlying advice for you to communicate (in writing, never by phone) with your creditors is sound.

WRT federal student loans, everyone who is eligible should elect Income-Based Repayments.  That puts your payments on a sliding scale based on your income, and the payments could be as low as zero.  Check out the Direct Loans website http://dl.ed.gov for details.