Timeline
| 1976 | July 27 - John's application to become a permanent resident is approved at a special hearing in New York. He is awarded his Green Card and is told he can apply for US citizenship in 1981. |
| 1976 | October - John begins his "retirement" to raise Sean. |
| 1980 | August - Coming out of "retirement", John and Yoko return to the studio to record their first collaborative album in six years at the Hit Factory recording studios. |
| 1980 | September 22 - John and Yoko sign with the new David Geffen independent label, Geffen Records. |
| 1980 | December 6 - Double Fantasy is released on Geffen Records. The album remains on the pop charts for 74 weeks and peaks at # 1. |
| 1980 | December 8 - John Lennon is shot dead in New York City by Mark Chapman. |
| 1981 | January 3 - Cavern Mecca, an information centre for Beatles fans, opens in Mathew Street, Liverpool as the first permanent tribute to the group. |
| 1981 | April - New York City Mayor Ed Koch sets aside a section of Central Park to be re-named 'Strawberry Fields' in honor of John. |
| 1981 | May - George Harrison released a new single "All Those Years Ago" as a tribute to John. |
| 1981 | October 9 - Yoko pronounces this date, John's birthday, "International World Peace Day". |