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secretgold

Qualifying for citizenship

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Hello VJ'ers,

I have been reading this forum for a few years and finally have nerve to post. :) I am a 10yr green card holder and contemplating to apply for citizenship through marriage. I have read all possible threads and links, but still question what I should do.

Here's my dilemma: married 05/2005, received CR-1 01/2006. Due to personal circumstances left U.S. 10/2008 and returned 10/2009 (gone for 49wks to be exact) with IR-1.

I have been in the U.S. ever since = 5 years in October. I have read the N-400 and it asks for absences out of the country - which I obviously have. Dear VJ'ers, would you recommend waiting until October to have the full 5 years or would you go ahead and apply the paperwork now?? Everything has been done according to the rules and law, only thing I am wondering is questions about the absence. Will that be an issue/will they question why I was gone for so long?? I just don't feel like having to explain, even though I know by law they are allowed and expected to do so.

Thank you in advance for your opinion,

secretgold

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Egypt
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Hello VJ'ers,

I have been reading this forum for a few years and finally have nerve to post. :) I am a 10yr green card holder and contemplating to apply for citizenship through marriage. I have read all possible threads and links, but still question what I should do.

Here's my dilemma: married 05/2005, received CR-1 01/2006. Due to personal circumstances left U.S. 10/2008 and returned 10/2009 (gone for 49wks to be exact) with IR-1.

I have been in the U.S. ever since = 5 years in October. I have read the N-400 and it asks for absences out of the country - which I obviously have. Dear VJ'ers, would you recommend waiting until October to have the full 5 years or would you go ahead and apply the paperwork now?? Everything has been done according to the rules and law, only thing I am wondering is questions about the absence. Will that be an issue/will they question why I was gone for so long?? I just don't feel like having to explain, even though I know by law they are allowed and expected to do so.

Thank you in advance for your opinion,

secretgold

I think that's a very good question.

1- USCIS will have access to all your travel dates, so whether you listed that trip or not, they should know about it.

2- the trip won't affect the fact that you meet the physical presence and continuous residence requirements because you will have met both those requirements since you returned.

3- the only effect that a long trip like that could have, is the issue of whether or not it can be seen as abandonment of your greencard... That doesn't seem to me to be likely in this case. In all likelihood you will be able to easily answer any questions related to that trip at your interview.

4- all that being said, if I were in your shoes, I'd wait until the five years were up for the simple reason that I would then not have to list the trip on the application at all (since they ask for trips in the last 5 years and not trips since you became a PR). Although, USCIS has access to your trips, they don't seem to be interested in anything that's not on your application (at least that's what I gather from what I've read on this and other sites). So if you really don't want to have to explain anything and you are not in a hurry to naturalize, then I would wait the two months until October.

Edited by JimmyHou

For a review of each step of my N-400 naturalization process, from application to oath ceremony, please click here.

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