Year count method for green card to citizenship

[GBS 2]

Hey all, 

 

I was wondering if anyone knows how the years for greencard is tabulated to apply for citizenship. In my case I lived with greencard in US for 18 years, then moved abroad for 3 years and now on green card again. My birth country recently allowed dual citizenship so now I'm motivated to become us citizen without giving up my original.

 

Both greencard periods have been on IR1 based,  married to us citizen and we been married for 20 years. Will the first period count towards the 3 years or does a new greencard mean a new period of 3 years holding it. From reading instructions it seems i need 3 years from this last card but thought I'd check.

 

Thanks!

[milimelo 4,674]

Sounds like you relinquished the first green card at some point and started all over with a new petition and new green card. 
 

if that’s the case, the residence start date is from when you activated the new immigrant visa/received AOS approval (as I don’t know how you got new green card). 

[HRQX 4,145]

44 minutes ago, GBS said:

or does a new greencard mean a new period of 3 years holding it.

Yes, it'll be based on the new green card.