Planned travel out of country during Citizenship Process

[beakon20 0]

Hello,

I'm planning on putting in my N-400 sometime around mid October to meet my 90 day before 3 year anniversary. The question I have is I have a trip planned out of the country in February and looking at the current processing times I expect I will be complete or near completion of the process at that time. Are there going to be any issues traveling outside of the country and attempting to return if for example I have been granted my citizenship, however don't have a US Passport yet (I expect it would take awhile to get)? I would still have my Canadian passport, although I don't think I would want to be traveling on that if I have been granted citizenship.

I just don't want this to be an issue when the time comes early next year and I don't really want to delay my application either. Any input or suggestions? Hopefully this makes sense.

Thanks

[v333k 59]

When it comes to travel, it is simple - if you are a US citizen, then you must leave/enter the US with a US passport. A LPR is not a US Citizen until they have taken the oath. So even if you are done with the interview, you are still a resident. The day you take the oath, is the day you become a citizen. I know there are application centers (I think that's what they are called) and expedited passport processing that you may utilize the speed up the passport issuance.

HTH

Oh, as an added comment, when you take the oath, you will give the officer your GC...

[Mononoke28 134]

Hello,

I'm planning on putting in my N-400 sometime around mid October to meet my 90 day before 3 year anniversary. The question I have is I have a trip planned out of the country in February and looking at the current processing times I expect I will be complete or near completion of the process at that time. Are there going to be any issues traveling outside of the country and attempting to return if for example I have been granted my citizenship, however don't have a US Passport yet (I expect it would take awhile to get)? I would still have my Canadian passport, although I don't think I would want to be traveling on that if I have been granted citizenship.

I just don't want this to be an issue when the time comes early next year and I don't really want to delay my application either. Any input or suggestions? Hopefully this makes sense.

Thanks

They take your green card away the day you take your oath to become a US citizen, some times even during your interview like they did with me. So, if you travel after you become a US citizen, you will need a US passport to get back in because you won't have your green card to enter with your Canadian passport.

Diana

[zqt3344 21]

Well since the person is a Canadian citizen anyway and they have a visa free waiver program with the USA anyway it is a moot point on the green card issue, this person will not even need that green card in order to travel back into the USA since they are from Canada and have the Canadian passport and are from a visa free country. BUT good point you make cause if you are from a country that is not on visa free waiver program, then you are right you better not leave USA without you getting a USA passport cause you will no longer have your GC to present at airport or port upon your return to the USA and will not be allowed in.

They take your green card away the day you take your oath to become a US citizen, some times even during your interview like they did with me. So, if you travel after you become a US citizen, you will need a US passport to get back in because you won't have your green card to enter with your Canadian passport.

Diana

[v333k 59]

Well since the person is a Canadian citizen anyway and they have a visa free waiver program with the USA anyway it is a moot point on the green card issue, this person will not even need that green card in order to travel back into the USA since they are from Canada and have the Canadian passport and are from a visa free country. BUT good point you make cause if you are from a country that is not on visa free waiver program, then you are right you better not leave USA without you getting a USA passport cause you will no longer have your GC to present at airport or port upon your return to the USA and will not be allowed in.

This is a NO NO!! If you are a US citizen - one of the things to abide to is the rules and laws of this country. You may be able to slip/enter the US but I am sure that if they find out you entered to the US on a Canadian passport after being naturalized, it could stir up a lot of headache.

[zqt3344 21]

Two things here to remember and they are the US laws you are abiding by. One it is not a no no and not illegal, remember they can keep their Canadian citizenship and passport, they are Canadian and they legally can enter and exit the USA due to visa waiver free country status and I know Canadians that have done this and it was no problem. Two it is also not a problem to enter or exit USA while waiting on your oath or USA passport, just called and checked with a couple that did this after their N400 interview since they had a trip scheduled outside the USA and were waiting on the oath ceremony and the chance then to file for USA passport. Told me the interviewing N400 officer told them it was ok to go on their planned trip and they did, with no problems.

This is a NO NO!! If you are a US citizen - one of the things to abide to is the rules and laws of this country. You may be able to slip/enter the US but I am sure that if they find out you entered to the US on a Canadian passport after being naturalized, it could stir up a lot of headache.

[warlord 72]

Two things here to remember and they are the US laws you are abiding by. One it is not a no no and not illegal, remember they can keep their Canadian citizenship and passport, they are Canadian and they legally can enter and exit the USA due to visa waiver free country status and I know Canadians that have done this and it was no problem. Two it is also not a problem to enter or exit USA while waiting on your oath or USA passport, just called and checked with a couple that did this after their N400 interview since they had a trip scheduled outside the USA and were waiting on the oath ceremony and the chance then to file for USA passport. Told me the interviewing N400 officer told them it was ok to go on their planned trip and they did, with no problems.

This is for visitors only. If you are living and residing in the US on a Green Card, you MUST show this upon entering the US or you will have problems. If you lie to the immigration officer that you are just visiting the US and have applied for the N-400 they even bigger problems will happen. You must show proof of legal US residency if you in fact have one while living in the US. This is why you have to have your Green Card.

The above statment about the visa waiver is ONLY for visitors to the US that have full residency in the other country (say Canada) and are intending to go back.

One can leave the US after filing for the N-400. You just need to take the Green Card with you. You won't lose this until the oath ceremony in which case you can then apply for a US passport and this then will be what one will use to get back into the US from then on.

The only issues with travelling over the course of the N-400 is that you have to make sure you are still maintaining US residency (You can't be found living/working in another country), you also must be sure to be able to make it back for anything the USCIS calls you up for (interviews, 2nd interviews, fingerprinting etc). Remember just because one puts in their application in at a certain time, doesn't mean everyone will have the same processing times, some have it very fast, others wait a long time. There is never any constant...

[beakon20 0]

Yes, I see where everyone is coming from. I'm just trying to see what my options are if the interview, oath, etc all goes down right before I head out on my vacation. I checked with the State Dept, and it looks like 2-3 weeks for the expetited passport service. I just don't want to be stuck during that time period I leave the country (around a week) without a passport or a green card and have to postpone my trip. Will see what happens, thanks for the input.

[milimelo 4,167]

Yes, I see where everyone is coming from. I'm just trying to see what my options are if the interview, oath, etc all goes down right before I head out on my vacation. I checked with the State Dept, and it looks like 2-3 weeks for the expetited passport service. I just don't want to be stuck during that time period I leave the country (around a week) without a passport or a green card and have to postpone my trip. Will see what happens, thanks for the input.

If you're near a regional passport agency like we have here in Chicago, and you're travelling in the next 14 days, you can get an expedited passport - I got mine in 2 days as I still had another 12 days before my trip, but others had it in mere hours if they were flying that day or in a week.

[v333k 59]

This is for visitors only. If you are living and residing in the US on a Green Card, you MUST show this upon entering the US or you will have problems. If you lie to the immigration officer that you are just visiting the US and have applied for the N-400 they even bigger problems will happen. You must show proof of legal US residency if you in fact have one while living in the US. This is why you have to have your Green Card.

The above statment about the visa waiver is ONLY for visitors to the US that have full residency in the other country (say Canada) and are intending to go back.

One can leave the US after filing for the N-400. You just need to take the Green Card with you. You won't lose this until the oath ceremony in which case you can then apply for a US passport and this then will be what one will use to get back into the US from then on.

The only issues with travelling over the course of the N-400 is that you have to make sure you are still maintaining US residency (You can't be found living/working in another country), you also must be sure to be able to make it back for anything the USCIS calls you up for (interviews, 2nd interviews, fingerprinting etc). Remember just because one puts in their application in at a certain time, doesn't mean everyone will have the same processing times, some have it very fast, others wait a long time. There is never any constant...

correct!

To the OP - The best thing to do is the reschedule your oath until you return from your trip if it is just before or during your vacation.

[warlord 72]

If you're near a regional passport agency like we have here in Chicago, and you're travelling in the next 14 days, you can get an expedited passport - I got mine in 2 days as I still had another 12 days before my trip, but others had it in mere hours if they were flying that day or in a week.

Yes I have heard that a number of people can get it within a day or so if they show proof of the travel plans (Plane ticket) that was purchased before the oath date. Worth looking into of course if in fact it comes down to it. Otherwise, is it a problem to reschedual your trip if needed? Or is this something like a wedding etc where it's a one time event?