Travel during N400 process

[jptl85 25]

Hello all,

 

i am considering applying for naturalization when my window opens next month. I wonder if anyone can tell me if there are any restrictions on traveling abroad at any point during the process? 

 

I am most concerned about travel between when you have (and hopefully pass) the interview and your oath ceremony. I know you cannot travel after oath without first having US passport in hand. 

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[aleful 1,905]

hi

 

no restrictions, just do short trips, you need to be here for biometrics and interview

 

 

[jptl85 25]

Thanks! Yes these are just short trips. The longest being 9-10 days for work

[kpeck 22]

16 hours ago, jptl85 said:

Hello all,

 

i am considering applying for naturalization when my window opens next month. I wonder if anyone can tell me if there are any restrictions on traveling abroad at any point during the process? 

 

I am most concerned about travel between when you have (and hopefully pass) the interview and your oath ceremony. I know you cannot travel after oath without first having US passport in hand. 

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

No problem/restrictions with international travel as long as you have your green card (and you're correct- after Oath Ceremony until you have your passport)

 

You can always ask to reschedule your interview/Oath Ceremony if it interferes with travel plans. 

[jptl85 25]

Thanks! So just to be clear travel between interview and oath ceremony is ok? Someone told me once you are in line for oath you should not travel?!

[kpeck 22]

1 minute ago, jptl85 said:

Thanks! So just to be clear travel between interview and oath ceremony is ok? Someone told me once you are in line for oath you should not travel?!

 

There's no legal restrictions whatsoever - if you have your green card, you can travel. At the Oath Ceremony, they will take your green card and then you cannot travel until you've gotten your US Passport. 

 

So, in between the interview and Oath Ceremony, it all depends on what your personal timeline is - sometimes the time between interview and Oath Ceremony is really short (in my husband's case it was 3 weeks), sometimes people have to wait a few months. Some people do not have a huge rush to get the Oath Ceremony over and done with and have the flexibility to reschedule if necessary. Others need/want to get it done as quickly as possible and for them, it might not be a good idea to schedule the travel in between for fear of it possibly overlapping. 

 

One thing I will note is that my husband got the letter for his Oath Ceremony about a week and a half before it took place, so he had very little notice. However, people have missed their Oath Ceremonies due to lost mail/being out of the town, etc. and they're able to reschedule. USCIS understands that this happens - it's not something to panic over! (One suggestion is - do you have someone at home that could keep an eye out for any USCIS mail while you're out of town? You could have a letter "pre-prepared" and ready to be sent by the person at home asking USCIS to reschedule if possible. We did this when we were traveling and waiting for Biometrics appointment - my mom sent in my  husband's pre-prepared letter with our dates of returning from travel and asked them to reschedule).  

 

You can always ask to reschedule the interview and/or Oath Ceremony if it doesn't work out with your schedule. My husband had to reschedule his interview due to his graduate school schedule  and he was given another date about a month later, no problems at all. 

 

 

[jptl85 25]

Thanks!!