Applying for naturalization

[kg8183 1]

Hello fellow VJ member!

I was doing some reading on the USCIS website regarding the naturalization process and I have couple of questions to make sure I do understand it correctly.

Here are few facts about my case that you may need to know:

* I am over 18 years of age

* I was issued a Green Card on July 17, 2006 (this is the date on the green card) as a result of being admitted to the country as a refugee

* Since then I have taken 2 trips outside of the US using Refugee Travel Document

* During Trip 1, I was absent from the US for 48 days (did not count partial days)

* During Trip 2, I was absent from the US for 36 days (did not count partial days)

My questions are:

1) When is the earliest I can apply for naturalization (sent N-400)?

2) When is the earliest I am eligible to be come a citizen?

Thank you all for your time and take care

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

My questions are:

1) When is the earliest I can apply for naturalization (sent N-400)?

2) When is the earliest I am eligible to be come a citizen?

1) Today. No, wait. Tomorrow. Too late for today.

2) On July 17 of this year.

http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/files/RIMRefugeeStatus.pdf

[kg8183 1]

1) Today. No, wait. Tomorrow. Too late for today.

2) On July 17 of this year.

http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/files/RIMRefugeeStatus.pdf

Thank you for your response.

Until I read the Guide to Naturalization on USCIS website and this post, for some strange reason, I was under the impression that one can only apply for naturalization after living in the US for 4 years and 9 months from the day the Permanent Residnet Card was issued and that all the trips that one took during permanent residence had to be made up by living in the US to accumulate the 57 months to apply and 60 to be eligible to become a citizen. But to my delight, that is not the case.......

However, I have 2 more question.

The Eligibiliy Worksheet has this statement "I have resided in the district or state in

which I am applying for citizenship for the last three months", which is to satisfy the Time in USCIS District or State requirement.

For example, what if I were to take a trip outside of the US today for say 45 days and decided to apply for naturalization right after I return to the States, granted that I have been living in that state for over 3 months prior to leaving

1) will I be able to apply right after I return to the States or do I have to wait for 3 months before I can apply?

2) I have to take a trip abroad for about 30-45 days. Can I apply for naturalization and take the trip while thee case is being processed?

I looked at the link that you suggested. It is a bit strange that it doesn't mention anything about applying 90 days prior to the 5 year anniversary and that it states the following "six months in the state where applying" for what I think is for fulfilling the USCIS District or State requirement requirement, which is not mentioned in the Naturalization Guide on the USCIS website.

Nevertheless, I will be looking forward to receiving answers to my questions and comments.

Thank you all

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

You can take a trip on the Space Shuttle, but you are still residing wherever your stuff is. A vacation has nothing to do with residence. If it did, any vacation outside the United States would cause you to lose your Green Card.

Thus:

1) Yes. No, you don't have to wait.

2) Yes and No. Theoretically yes, but you'll have to attend the Biometrics appointment and the interview, so that might interfere with your trip. I would therefore suggest to prepare all of the paperwork and mail it in when you come back from your trip.

[NickD 202]

With my stepdaughter, took her four months and nine days from the very start to finish, and that was with a decision cannot be made at this time hangup. USCIS fault, not hers. You can check other timelines for your neck of the woods. But a darn good idea to hang around once you make that commitment.

Her greatest stress going to college with a part time job, was working ahead to keep up classwork by talking to her professors that is has got to be done, then finding a substitute for her part time job so she won't lose it. This was on three occasions, for her biometrics, interview, and oath ceremony. Dang, they already took her prints twice, and could have had the same day oath ceremony for only one day. But the USCIS doesn't work that way. When told to show up, you darn well better.

Our problem is the long traveling distance that makes for a very long tiring day.

Her biometrics took five minutes, interview eleven minutes, and oath ceremony was 40 minutes, that is less than a total of one hour. But with over 25 hours of driving.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

You can certainly take a trip after applying but if you look at the recent timeline threads (Feb or March) you'll see that most folks are looking at biometrics roughly 4-6 weeks after the application is received. The interview is anyone's guess - depends where you are. It's difficult to make plans around USCIS.

You may wish to commit to being in the US during this period to avoid any snags. Perhaps take your planned trip and then apply for citizenship after you return.

Good luck

[kg8183 1]

It does seem very risky to apply and leave the country for a month or so. Probably it is better to apply after I return. The bad part is that I was planning to take the trip in 2 months (an important trip I might add). So if I apply now, I can't take the trip and if apply after I return I loose 3.5 months.

Does anyone have experience with rescheduling biometrics appointment, the interview, etc? How did it work out?

Thank

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Lose (gone), not loose (not firmly attached).

What exactly do you lose by becoming a US citizen 3 and a half months later?

[kg8183 1]

Lose (gone), not loose (not firmly attached).

What exactly do you lose by becoming a US citizen 3 and a half months later?

Good catch on the word loose.

My husband is not in the US and by becoming a US citizen earlier, I will be able to file for him sooner.