Would you recommend I rush to file citizenship?

[mosacorp 2]

In a week I will be 90 days within time frame of my 3 year residency date and eligible to file for citizenship. (May 6th is the date). I would like to do it and then get my passport as soon as it is done. My wife, daughter and I will be travelling to South Africa in June/July to visit family there and we want to stay until Christmas, but maybe more than 6 months. So personally it seems like a good idea to file right now and not worry about travelling as a resident. Would you recommend it? Would they be able to have the oath and all those things done in time, or could we have them transfer that to the embassy in South Africa? Also, would they do anything with my paperwork within the 90 days before, like biometrics etc. or approve my case? Or would they only do so after the 90 days? Lastly, I did biometrics in July last year, do I have o do it again? Thank you

[canadian_wife 1,791]

I traveled to South Africa as a citizen of Canada and a resident of the US - no issues with it, what problems do you think you'll face?

Honestly, I'm getting ready to file for citizenship and it looks like USCIS is taking 5 months to process the petition and that doesn't include the interview, oath and application for a passport. I just dont' think you have time

Good luck

[pinoygwapo 1]

If I understood you perfectly, your question pertains to "if you have enough time" --- well, if I were you, I would put the "rush" off for a while, and enjoy your vacay in South Africa, and when you get back, you could resume the application/process. Have a good day!

[ndu26 114]

I personally think you have more than enough time to do so. I filed in June last year and had my oath in september and a lot of people I know had the same time frame. yes once you file , you will get notice of receipt then biometrics then interview and then oath ceremony, they dont wait for the 90 days to elapse. Once you are aproved , you could ask your adjudicator if they do same day oath ceremony and if you can get a slot.

besides I hear during election year they try to rush citizenship applications so they can get more voters( dont know if it is true).

Just make sure you dont file even a day before you are eligible. Go to USCIS and calculate the date you are eligibile for the 90day window then file like one or two days after.I filed the exact day I was eligible and the adjudicator thought I had made a mistake and had to check his computer to verify... he was like "you know if you had missed this date by one day, i would have cancelled the approval". It seems any day after Feb 6th is good for you. Make sure you have all necessary documents and passport photos to avoid any RFE or delays.

Go to the USCIS and use their early filing calculator:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=e6051c613880f210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

Once you come out of the oath office stop by a post office and apply for your US passport( request for expedite service so you can get it back before ur travel).

I did not apply for expedite service since I was not planning to travel but I still got mine in two weeks( which is the time frame they gave for expedite service . so that means those that requested probably got their passports in days or so. Then again maybe immigration favors me

Edited February 1, 2012 by ndu26

[NickD 202]

June/July, what about August/September? Several people have posted here, biometrics and interview were all done before their 3rd green card anniversary. Had to wait a couple of weeks for that date for their oath ceremony. US Passport can be gotten in a day with your certificate, then you will be free of the USCIS with no concerns about your residency requirement.

At this time of year, stepdaughter applied for US citizenship in mid November, about 2 1/2 months before this time to study in England in September, with Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays in the middle at St. Paul, a damn slow field office. Then she ran into problems for being accused of assault and battery charges when she was 17 months old. But got her citizenship March 25 and two weeks later, the slow way, her US passport in mid April. So had half of the month, plus May, June, July, and August, 4 and a half months before she had to leave at a precise date.

Check other peoples time lines for Portland. You are flexible and way before Christmas, would go for it and get it over with. Would have been complicated for her to travel to England with a Venezuelan passport and as a green card holder. Her university had a different attitude toward her as a US citizen, and she had a different attitude about herself. Not an outsider anymore.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

In a week I will be 90 days within time frame of my 3 year residency date and eligible to file for citizenship. (May 6th is the date). I would like to do it and then get my passport as soon as it is done. My wife, daughter and I will be travelling to South Africa in June/July to visit family there and we want to stay until Christmas, but maybe more than 6 months. So personally it seems like a good idea to file right now and not worry about travelling as a resident. Would you recommend it? Would they be able to have the oath and all those things done in time, or could we have them transfer that to the embassy in South Africa? Also, would they do anything with my paperwork within the 90 days before, like biometrics etc. or approve my case? Or would they only do so after the 90 days? Lastly, I did biometrics in July last year, do I have o do it again? Thank you

They will not issue the oath of citizenship until after your eligibility date. we filed Alla's request the day after Thanksgiving and she was approved today, just 15 days after she became eligible. I would not suggest doing it if you are going to be out of the country.

She will not have her oath ceremony until April 9, so a little over 4 months from filing and that is realtively fast from what I see here.

You can be out of the country for up to one year without an AP provided you maintain residency here.

If your application for citizenship is received within 15 months of the biometrics for your removal of conditions you will not be called for biometrics again, BUT when Alla went for her interview today, they did the fingerprints again. Go figure.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[mosacorp 2]

Thank you for the replies. I would honestly like to file and get it done, but I am getting the idea that it might be a long-shot that may just work or may not and my plans could be postponed. So really I am still grappling with this, I have everything ready to go and just want to file, but hey.

How long can I leave the country on a green card? Isn't it for less than 6months though? Do I have to apply for permission to stay out for more than 6 months to avoid losing my residency. Thanks again.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Thank you for the replies. I would honestly like to file and get it done, but I am getting the idea that it might be a long-shot that may just work or may not and my plans could be postponed. So really I am still grappling with this, I have everything ready to go and just want to file, but hey.

How long can I leave the country on a green card? Isn't it for less than 6months though? Do I have to apply for permission to stay out for more than 6 months to avoid losing my residency. Thanks again.

Maintaining Permanent Residency http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=3f443a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

International travel http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=0c353a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=0c353a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

Edited February 1, 2012 by Nich-Nick

[Kajikit 65]

I'd allow at least six months for the paperwork... it might get done quicker, but you don't want to be out of the country when you're supposed to be taking oath, or they'll throw your whole application in the trashcan because you didn't show up. I want to travel to Australia in October, so I filed in December, and I'm hoping to be done by June/July, giving me PLENTY of time.