Greencard Holder Applying For Citizenship Abroad

[worrywart2013 2]

Wife is a Canadian Citizen with a valid US greencard. Her 10 year renewal is next summer, and she's decided to go for US citizenship. But before we applies she wants to go back to Canada for a few weeks to see her family. Depending on the money and healthy issues with her father, it might be soon it might be sometime around 1qtr 2014. We're wondering: so long as she doesn't let her GC lapse, is it possible for us to file for her US citizenship while she's in Canada visiting family?

We'd file now but (1) money, (2) child care for when we have to travel for the various appointments, (3) her job schedule being a mess (short story: her boss is a moron) we're trying to hold up till things quiet down a bit.

[Harsh_77 718]

How long is she planning to stay in Canada? I mean she can apply after she returns from her trip in Canada.

There is no deadline for your wife to apply for citizenship.

[christeen 966]

She will have to do her biometrics here in the USA... You can send the paperwork when you want, but depending on the service center, biometrics is anywhere from 4-10 weeks later... Then there is the appointment for the interview, then the oath ceremony (3 appointments)

[BigDaddy28 228]

This is what I would recommend, of course you don't have to do it. Since her green card expires next summer, you can wait until she gets back. Now if you know she will travel say in 2 months than I would apply now and do my biometrics and than go to canada. I know the interview takes 1month to 3 months after biometrics so you got a good time there to stay in canada. I hope her father feels better and I wish you best of luck.

[worrywart2013 2]

So she could, in theory, file from Canada and just do a day trip to the US for her various appointments while staying in with the family?

How long is she planning to stay in Canada? I mean she can apply after she returns from her trip in Canada.

There is no deadline for your wife to apply for citizenship.

That's the big "X" factor right now. Depends on her father's health, if her mother is going to need help and for how long, and if she ends up having to take a leave of absence for work how much money we'd have to get by on

[John9981 9]

So she could, in theory, file from Canada and just do a day trip to the US for her various appointments while staying in with the family?

yup

[Autumnal 25]

Sorry to hear about the problems with health. Depending on her filing centre, your wife may go through the system rather quickly. Usually biometrics are scheduled within four to six weeks of the application being received, okayed, and filed into the system. Then the interviews come four to sixteen weeks after that; following timelines for your filing centre will help.

Day tripping is completely possible. It's much easier Seattle > Vancouver or Detroit > Toronto than, say, Memphis > Winnipeg, but it's a valid way to manage it. She'll need all her documentation on hand.