Questions about citizenship application

[ramu2012 23]

Have lived in the US for the last 4 years while attending college in State A. Left to go to India for short periods of time during semester breaks. Have been a US Green Card holder for over 10 years now, but never really lived in the US for before these last 4 - 5 years. I did however always have a re-entry permit and was a minor before. 

 

Now, I want to return to India and might come back to the US later but do want to get my citizenship before I leave. Questions I have: 

1. Can I file my N-400 and move to India? Some of my family is here and I can come back to the US for the test/biometrics/interview and oath. 

2. My family lives in State B while I went to college and lived in State A (physically). Can I file with State B still or not?

3. Should I apply for a re-entry permit before I leave?

 

 

[CJKylie 161]

If you’re moving to India you would effectively be abandoning your legal resident status.  You should move after you naturalize 

Edited June 10, 2018 by CJKylie

[Going through 5,668]

1 hour ago, ramu2012 said:

1. Can I file my N-400 and move to India? Some of my family is here and I can come back to the US for the test/biometrics/interview and oath. 

Get your naturalization first and THEN move.  You are playing with fire regarding the physical presence requirement for approval if you follow your plan, as at the interview the IO will learn about lengthy additional travel abroad between your filing date and interview date.

 

1 hour ago, ramu2012 said:

2. My family lives in State B while I went to college and lived in State A (physically). Can I file with State B still or not?

If you were residing in State A, you would file in State A.  Filing in State B (since you didn't actually live there) would make it difficult in showing continuous residency....curious why you do not want to file in State A?

 

1 hour ago, ramu2012 said:

3. Should I apply for a re-entry permit before I leave?

Not the best idea to apply for US citizenship and then soon after apply for a document asking for permission to immediately live outside of the US while it's pending... which of course then affects your continuous AND physical presence requirements for approval...but up to you, of course.

 

When applying for the N400, you will need to have at least 30 months physical presence within the US over the past 5 years, or 18 months for the past 3 years for approval----there is no way around this...considering you admittedly haven't been residing in the US for the better part of 4-5 years (for the N400 having a re-entry permit doesn't "stop the clock" in any way), you may want to wait a bit longer---and naturally spend more time actually INSIDE the country than OUTSIDE---to build up your physical presence before applying if you wish to be approved.

 

2 hours ago, ramu2012 said:

Have been a US Green Card holder for over 10 years now,

Your signature timeline is confusing with this statement.

It says you did your AOS in 2013, and were approved for Removal of Conditions in January 2016?  So you are planning to apply under the 3-year eligibility, then?

[ramu2012 23]

48 minutes ago, Going through said:

Get your naturalization first and THEN move.  You are playing with fire regarding the physical presence requirement for approval if you follow your plan, as at the interview the IO will learn about lengthy additional travel abroad between your filing date and interview date.

 

If you were residing in State A, you would file in State A.  Filing in State B (since you didn't actually live there) would make it difficult in showing continuous residency....curious why you do not want to file in State A?

 

Not the best idea to apply for US citizenship and then soon after apply for a document asking for permission to immediately live outside of the US while it's pending... which of course then affects your continuous AND physical presence requirements for approval...but up to you, of course.

 

When applying for the N400, you will need to have at least 30 months physical presence within the US over the past 5 years, or 18 months for the past 3 years for approval----there is no way around this...considering you admittedly haven't been residing in the US for the better part of 4-5 years (for the N400 having a re-entry permit doesn't "stop the clock" in any way), you may want to wait a bit longer---and naturally spend more time actually INSIDE the country than OUTSIDE---to build up your physical presence before applying if you wish to be approved.

 

Your signature timeline is confusing with this statement.

It says you did your AOS in 2013, and were approved for Removal of Conditions in January 2016?  So you are planning to apply under the 3-year eligibility, then?

Makes perfect sense. Thanks. 

As far as the signature confusion goes, I am posting for a family member, not for myself. Tried to clarify by editing the first post but I am unable to edit it.