Hello fellow forumers,

I am wondering about a couple of things

1) Does one has to be physically present in the US to submit their citizenship papers and all the way through the naturalization process? (i.e. apart from having to be here to do the fingerprinting, obviously)
2) Does one need to have spent X numbers of days/months in the US immediately preceding their application? (I had heard something like 90 continuous days in the US immediately preceding the mailing date...)

The situation is the following: I expect to be able to apply for naturalization next December. However, at the same time, I plan on starting a Masters degree abroad in September. I would like to find out if there are any problems with this timing - i.e. what do you think???

Thank you in advance!!!
Boston Chick

BostonChick,

See the Guide to Naturalization on the USCIS web site.

Yodrak

Or, for the faint of heart, that can't wade through it...


Residence and Physical Presence

After being admitted for permanent residence, an alien must have least five years permanent residency just before filing an application for naturalisation with the Service, unless married to a United States citizen (wherein three years is acceptable)/

At least the last three months of that five (or three) years' residence, immediately before the filing of the application, must also be residence in the State or Service district where the application is being filed.

The applicant is not obliged to stay in the United States during every day of the five-year (or three) period. Short visits may be made outside the United States, either before or after applying for naturalisation, and may include as part of the required five (or three) years' residence the time absent.

BUT
a. he or she must not be absent for a continuous period of one year or more
and

b. he or she must not be outside of the United States for a total of more than 30 months during the last five years; alternatively 18 months out of the prior 36 months (for married to US citizen applicants).

Generally, if the applicant is absent for one year or more at any one time during the five-year period just before filing the application, he or she breaks naturalisation residence and must complete a new period of
residence after returning to the United States. This means that he or she will have to wait at least four years and one day after coming back before he or she can be naturalised. Furthermore, if during the five-year period he or she has been absent for a total of more than 30 months, he or she will have to stay in the United States until he or she has been physically present for at least a total of 30 months out of the last five years just before filing an application for naturalisation.

ok it ses 3 month process Diddie, howver, my question is,...you are there where you live, you fullfilled all the residencey requiremenets pertaining to the state that you live/lived in.

You have your interview there, get approved, and all you have to do is take the oath,

But have to move to another state.....can/do they just transfer your file to where you move to so you can take the oath in the new state that your in???

You think it would not be worth making the trip one time to do the oath?

depending on the situation, lets say that yu got a job??

I'd sense it could delay matters to transfer the file to another district, simply for an oath ceremony. Unless your new location makes it practically impossible to go back, I'd consider a trip back would be best. I'm not sure if this is still followed, but USCIS used to give the naturalising alien a choice ~ either to be sworn in at an oath ceremony, or in federal court. Might wish to ask if the trip back won't work for you.

diadromous mermaid,

Come on - it may be long, but it's well written and easy to understand.

Yodrak

Sometimes, volume and length, alone, give people the goosebumps...

yeah but how long would it take in transfer of the file you reckon just to take the oath???

Response:

If you meet the physical presence rule for qualify for Citizenship and file
an I-131 travel document permitting you to the leave the US for an extended
period then you should be able to apply for citizenship while being out of
the US. The I-131 is crucial though.