Does the clock for Citizenship eligibility reset when you leave the country for two years?

[Emmysaur 29]

Hello guys. I am trying to help a friend determine if she's eligible to apply for citizenship but my knowledge about this matter is limited. My friend is ready to send her paperwork but one of our co-workers told her that she is not eligible yet because she was out of the country for over six months. Below is her timeline.

1995 - Came to the US on a student visa

1999 - Got married to a US citizen

9/18/2001 - Became a resident

2006 - Husband was stationed in South Korea

2007 - She found out that her husband was cheating on her so she filed for divorce.(The husband had a baby with the other girl). Soon after her divorce was finalized, she went back to Thailand and work there for six months and eventually went to Australia to get her MBA.

2009 - Flew back to the US

She had lived in the US for over 10 years and was married to a US citizen for seven years before she left the country. Does she have the required credentials for citizenship or she actually have to wait until 2015?

Thank you. I'd really appreciate your assistance.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Yes it resets. She is not eligible. She can read the requirements on the N400 instructions.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Being outside of the US for 6 months breaks continuous residency and PAUSES the residency clock. Being outside for over a year RESETS the residency clock back to 0.

See the eligibility worksheet here:

Her only option outside of the waiting 4 years 9 months is the "4 years, 1 day" rule. Discussed here:

[Emmysaur 29]

Thank you Harpa and Vanessa for answering my question. I will tell my friend about it.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thank you Harpa and Vanessa for answering my question. I will tell my friend about it.

Dammit the links didn't post. I'll post again.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Being outside of the US for 6 months breaks continuous residency and PAUSES the residency clock. Being outside for over a year RESETS the residency clock back to 0.

See the eligibility worksheet here: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/attachments.pdf Starting on page 5. You can see question five she would answer "false" and have a look at attachment C (page 7) where she would also answer false and she would be ineligible.

Her only option outside of the waiting 4 years 9 months is the "4 years, 1 day" rule. Discussed here: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/chapter4.pdf on page 6 under "What if I was outside the US for 1 year or longer".

[Jay2Pnoy 3]

How did she manage to leave the US in 2007 and return in 2009, on what visa? She must have had some kind of re-entry permit she applied prior to leaving the States in 2007. Well, even with the re-entry, it would have reset her residency to 0. She definitely needs to wait on her eligibility or she will lose $ on the assumed denied application.