How to count the days outside of the US when there is a big time zone difference?

[BRgirlUS 38]

Hi!

Part 9 of the N-400 form. I traveled to Guam (US territory) with a connection through South Korea.

Since the moment the airplane took off from the US and the moment the plane landed in Guam it was a total of 19 hours. But because of the time zone difference, my departure from the US was on Wednesday (local time of the place where I left) and my arrival on Guam was on Friday (local time of Guam). Do USCIS round up everything to the same time zone or not?

 

Also, is the departure and landing time the right thing to consider? If not, what time should I consider leaving and re-entering the US in order to count 24 hour periods outside the country? Is it the boarding time? Is it the time I pass through immigration? Is it the time I passed through security? 

[dilip 187]

if it is not more than 6 months outside the country and you are way below the outside country days limit.  I will just write Wednesday ( the day you left your city airport) and the day you arrive at your city airport .  It is more conservative estimate.  

[alun 73]

exactly, they don't count hours and minutes ( USCIS ) When in doubt ,err on the bigger number of days

[BRgirlUS 38]

Thanks @dilip and @alun!

[Zaidba 39]

There is no problem no matter with the time difference is. What counts is the day you departed the US to the day you are back in the US.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

2 hours ago, Zaidba said:

There is no problem no matter with the time difference is. What counts is the day you departed the US to the day you are back in the US.

Exactly. So if you left the US on Wednesday and got back the following Wednesday you were out 6 days (part days in the US count as days there) regardless what time zone anywhere else was. 

[DrKa 1]

Search your travel history here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/history-search. I suppose these are the official dates of entry/exit recorded by immigration authorities.

Then, I recommend that you file your N-400 online. The online form will auto-calculate each trip duration based on the entry & exit dates that you enter.

 

NOTE: The online system calculates each trip duration as [Return Date] - [Start Date] - 1. As mentioned in the previous post, part days in US are counted as days in US.