Trips outside the US / naturalization

[marjorie0102 1]

Hi everyone! I'm sending my n400 end of this month. I made some trip twice last year to philippines. January 12, 2016-February 2,2016.

Then I went back July 12 and stayed there till December 26,2016. 

I am worried if this trips although not continues but still added to more than 6 months can be a problem for my application. Note that during my January- February trip we have our lease saying we are living in the states till September.

i would appreciate all inputs. 

[zilchfox 296]

You should be fine, especially since you're back in the U.S. now. As long as you didn't make trips like that every year since gaining green card status, otherwise that might affect how long they will count you being a permanent resident in the US and you might have to file for naturalization later.

 

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Does travel outside the United States affect my permanent resident status?

Permanent residents are free to travel outside the United States, and temporary or brief travel usually does not affect your permanent resident status. If it is determined, however, that you did not intend to make the United States your permanent home, you will be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status.  A general guide used is whether you have been absent from the United States for more than a year. Abandonment may be found to occur in trips of less than a year where it is believed you did not intend to make the United States your permanent residence.  While brief trips abroad generally are not problematic, the officer may consider criteria such as whether your intention was to visit abroad only temporarily, whether you maintained U.S. family and community ties, maintained U.S employment, filed U.S. income taxes as a resident, or otherwise established your intention to return to the United States as your permanent home. Other factors that may be considered include whether you maintained a U.S. mailing address, kept U.S. bank accounts and a valid U.S. driver’s license, own property or run a business in the United States, or any other evidence that supports the temporary nature of your absence

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/international-travel-permanent-resident

 

Do note however:
 

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Additionally, absences from the United States of six months or more may disrupt the continuous residency required for naturalization.  If your absence is one year or longer and you wish to preserve your continuous residency in the United States for naturalization purposes, you may file an Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes on Form N-470. For more information, please see the “Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements” page.

 

Edited January 24, 2017 by zilchfox