About to move to the US - how much time do I have to spend there to become a citizen?

[Colbert Report 5]

I have been fortunate enough to be granted a green card and will be moving to the USA from Canada sometime in the next five weeks. Ideally, I would like to become a US citizen five years after entering the country, as I believe that would be the minimum time to apply for it, provided I don't get married to an American in the meantime.

How many months per year do I have to spend in the USA to "maintain" or "make the days count" towards the citizenship application? The reason I ask is because I would ideally like to be able to come back up to Canada a few times a year to work, as I can make a lot more money up here than I think I'll be able to in the USA. Will they give me a hard time coming back and forth across the border if I were to come to Canada to work for say, two months out of the year every year for the next five years?

I am getting a bit confused reading through some of the topics here. Do I just need to show that I've been present in the USA for 30 out of the next 60 months in order to apply for citizenship? Does this mean I could theoretically cross the border, have the green card mailed to my US address, then come back to Canada, work for six months less a day, go back to the USA for six months plus a day, and then back to Canada for six months and so on for the next five years?

Would love to live here in Canada from April 1-September 30 each year and then head somewhere warm like California, Hawaii or Florida for the rest of the year, all while having that time count towards the US citizenship requirements.

[aleful 1,905]

hi

nope, at one time or the other they will take away your GC

you are supposed to work and live hear more than 6 months and more than abroad, you will pay taxes here

if you leave that long they will think you don't live here and take away your GC

you can travel less than 6 months, but if you travel too much, immigration at the border will question you

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

GC to live and work here permanently not your tourist visa. They will revoke it if they see your traveling pattern.

[Colbert Report 5]

Thanks for the responses.

So what is the rule regarding entering/exiting the country? For example, my father has been a GC holder since 2002 and has come up to visit me numerous times and never had any problems getting back into the USA. Is there a set number of days each year I must remain in the USA in order to not risk losing the GC?

[aleful 1,905]

hi

one day they will, since your dad doesn't live here, he is using his GC as a tourist visa

[Colbert Report 5]

Huh? My father does live and work in the United States. He isn't using his GC like a tourist visa at all.

[NikosF 6]

It's all about intent and how long each trip is.

I would maintain an address in the USA for the full five years (with utilities, etc) and the semblance of a life (doctor, dentist, ...). Each time you re-enter the US they will ask how long you were out the US and what the purpose of your visit was and what you do in the US (every time I entered they asked me). If your only employment is in Canada I think you'll have a problem, and you may find maintaining two households could eat into the gains of working in Canada.

So - probably doable, but risky and it may not be worth it at the end of the day.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Taking a job in another country shows intent to not live in the US, you have to file taxes every year and report your worldwide income. They look closely at these things in going for citizenship. If you don't want to live in the US then don't bother with the GC , Canadians have very liberal visiting rights

[gildayjason 2]

I'd like to add that marrying a U.S. citizen won't change anything for you at this point. Since you didn't obtain your green card through marriage, you have to wait 5 years (and follow all the rules) to apply for naturalization. The only way to use the 3-year marriage naturalization rule would be for you to give up your current green card and re-start the process by applying for a green card through marriage, which would be silly if you already have one (and you haven't at this point even met this hypothetical spouse).

[JimmyHou 610]

I'd like to add that marrying a U.S. citizen won't change anything for you at this point. Since you didn't obtain your green card through marriage, you have to wait 5 years (and follow all the rules) to apply for naturalization. The only way to use the 3-year marriage naturalization rule would be for you to give up your current green card and re-start the process by applying for a green card through marriage, which would be silly if you already have one (and you haven't at this point even met this hypothetical spouse).

Sorry but this is not correct. If you have been married to US citizen for three years you can apply for citizenship. There is absolutely nothing in the rules that says that you have to have acquired your green card through marriage. This is not really related to the original posters question, but I wanted to make sure that this point was clarified.

[gildayjason 2]

Sorry for the misinformation--I was actually told this by an immigration lawyer. Go figure! But yes, I just looked at the N-400 and you are correct.

[KayDeeCee 4,891]

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/article/chapter4.pdf

[Lemonslice 4,555]

Taking a job in another country shows intent to not live in the US, you have to file taxes every year and report your worldwide income. They look closely at these things in going for citizenship. If you don't want to live in the US then don't bother with the GC , Canadians have very liberal visiting rights

Many Canadians go back to work daily in Canada, so work itself isn't necessarily a problem. Depends on where the person resides and other factors.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Many Canadians go back to work daily in Canada, so work itself isn't necessarily a problem. Depends on where the person resides and other factors.

But those people return every evening to the US , This person is talking about living and working which is one of the triggers for losing your green card.

[Lemonslice 4,555]

Others stay Monday to Friday, or a couple of weeks/months at a time (teachers I know) ... Each situation is unique.