Need advice

[kottayam 1]

hi friends,

all VJ's have been of great help since i started this journey. thanks a lot .

I entered US on 14 june 2008 on CR1 and got the 10 yr GC last year in 2010.As per the instructions i was eligible to apply for citizenship on march 15th 2011. so now i am sending application N400 on aug 10th( due to delay in collecting the documents, busy with newborn baby!)My question is : we are planning to go to my country india, for just two weeks in december 2011, will the travel cause any problem ,how long will it take for the citizenship process, we are in alabama. if the process is not over in december will it affect the clause of 3 years continuous residency in US?

[v333k 59]

hi friends,

all VJ's have been of great help since i started this journey. thanks a lot .

I entered US on 14 june 2008 on CR1 and got the 10 yr GC last year in 2010.As per the instructions i was eligible to apply for citizenship on march 15th 2011. so now i am sending application N400 on aug 10th( due to delay in collecting the documents, busy with newborn baby!)My question is : we are planning to go to my country india, for just two weeks in december 2011, will the travel cause any problem ,how long will it take for the citizenship process, we are in alabama. if the process is not over in december will it affect the clause of 3 years continuous residency in US?

You have two options:

1. Apply after you travel because these days, it is taking around 4-5 months to go through the entire process. If you apply August 10, that will put your travel around the time where you will be scheduled for an interview which could cause a delay.

2. Apply a little later, maybe closer to end of September and that will put you in the time where all you will do is waiting... then it will not affect the process.

As for your travel restrictions, there are two things you need to comply with to remain eligible.

1. Physical presence - which you should have lived a minimum of 18 months our of the past 36 months in the US.

2. Continuous residence - you should not have traveled outside the US for trips that lasted 6 months or longer.

If you meet both conditions, a 2 week trip will not affect the process at all. When you go to your interview, just inform the IO that you have traveled outside the US and provide them with the dates.

I will recommend you do some more research on the District office you will be going to for interview. You will either be Atlanta GA or New Orleans, LA. Depends on which part of Alabama you live in. You can verify by visiting the uscis website and check the district office locator.

Once you research it you can see how fast people are tracking...

[kottayam 1]

You have two options:

1. Apply after you travel because these days, it is taking around 4-5 months to go through the entire process. If you apply August 10, that will put your travel around the time where you will be scheduled for an interview which could cause a delay.

2. Apply a little later, maybe closer to end of September and that will put you in the time where all you will do is waiting... then it will not affect the process.

As for your travel restrictions, there are two things you need to comply with to remain eligible.

1. Physical presence - which you should have lived a minimum of 18 months our of the past 36 months in the US.

2. Continuous residence - you should not have traveled outside the US for trips that lasted 6 months or longer.

If you meet both conditions, a 2 week trip will not affect the process at all. When you go to your interview, just inform the IO that you have traveled outside the US and provide them with the dates.

I will recommend you do some more research on the District office you will be going to for interview. You will either be Atlanta GA or New Orleans, LA. Depends on which part of Alabama you live in. You can verify by visiting the uscis website and check the district office locator.

Once you research it you can see how fast people are tracking...

thankyou verymuch for the fastreply. i will be going to Atlanta GA for interview. thanks once again

[v333k 59]

You should plan it out well so that you are traveling when there is nothing happening here. Also, if you are out of the country, you should also make sure someone trustworthy is receiving your mail. If they send anything that required your attention, then you will be able to hear about it.

thankyou verymuch for the fastreply. i will be going to Atlanta GA for interview. thanks once again

[NickD 203]

We gained nothing by doing the three year, and a major headache with evidence. Had this strange idea that my wife would no longer have to maintain her foreign passport, that was a joke!

One reason to apply is to get a federal or state job, fat chance of that now with layoffs, my postman just retired, over 1,500 applications for his job, fat chance of getting that. Wife could vote in a local election, waste of time, 90% of the candidates ran unopposed. Another joke.

Another reason for applying, wife was having problems with her employer with her expired conditional green card. But she did get her ten year card two weeks before her interview, she was good for another ten years. That knocked down the significance of showing them her US certificate just a few weeks later, but was forever instead of just ten years.

Son had a new born at the time of her interview, since both he and his wife have to work to make ends meet, we also had our hands full helping to watch Amber. But was nothing like having her the rest of the time for my kids. They tend to cry in the middle of the night, so can't even get a decent nights rest. You have your hands full!

Heck, just wait the extra two years, your green card, check, and application is all you need. That time will go quick.

[kottayam 1]

We gained nothing by doing the three year, and a major headache with evidence. Had this strange idea that my wife would no longer have to maintain her foreign passport, that was a joke!

One reason to apply is to get a federal or state job, fat chance of that now with layoffs, my postman just retired, over 1,500 applications for his job, fat chance of getting that. Wife could vote in a local election, waste of time, 90% of the candidates ran unopposed. Another joke.

Another reason for applying, wife was having problems with her employer with her expired conditional green card. But she did get her ten year card two weeks before her interview, she was good for another ten years. That knocked down the significance of showing them her US certificate just a few weeks later, but was forever instead of just ten years.

Son had a new born at the time of her interview, since both he and his wife have to work to make ends meet, we also had our hands full helping to watch Amber. But was nothing like having her the rest of the time for my kids. They tend to cry in the middle of the night, so can't even get a decent nights rest. You have your hands full!

Heck, just wait the extra two years, your green card, check, and application is all you need. That time will go quick.

yes nick,

i too had that thought , to wait 2 more yrs , but one problem is when i go to visit my brothers in europe, i need to go for a visa stamp , so i thought better to get the CS.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

While it's possible to pretty much guestimate at which time you'll have your biometrics appointment and interview, you really can't be sure. If this is an important trip for you, perhaps a long planed vacation, I would prepare the package and have a very good friend mail it about 3 weeks before returning to the U.S.

[OHMS 0]

YOU MIGHT RUN THE RISK OF MISSING YOUR BIOMETRICS APPOINTMENT!!!