The statutory period preceding the filing of the application is calculated from the date of filing. Once 4 years and 1 day have elapsed from the date of the applicant's return to the United States, the period of absence from the United States that occurred within the past 5 years is now less than 1 year.
IF YOU STAYED ABROAD FOR 365 DAYS OR MORE
They will deny your U.S. citizenship application, and you'll have to wait before you can reapply: If you had to wait five years to apply for citizenship, you'll need to wait at least four years and one day upon returning from your trip abroad to reapply.
As a permanent resident, you are generally eligible for naturalization after five years. This is the most common way that people apply to become a U.S. citizen. To qualify, you must have lived in the U.S. continuously for the five years immediately preceding the date you file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
The basic rule is that you cannot submit your Form N-400 to apply for U.S. citizenship (or apply to naturalize) until you have lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least five years. That means exactly five years, to the day.
How long does it take to become a U.S. citizen? The national average processing time for naturalization (citizenship) applications is 14.5 months.
Applications for work permits saw an increase of processing times from 3.2 months in FY 2020 to 4.3 months in FY 2022.
You may travel to another country, including your home country, provided no other legal impediment precludes you from doing so. However, if a trip lasts longer than 180 days, USCIS may determine that you have not continuously resided in the United States and therefore are ineligible for naturalization.
The fastest way to become a U.S. citizen is to be born in the United States. How long do you have to live in the US to become a citizen? You may qualify for naturalization and become a U.S. citizen if you have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years. 3 years in case you are married to a U.S. citizen.
Absences of more than 365 consecutive days
You must apply for a re-entry permit (Form I-131) before you leave the United States, or your permanent residence status will be considered abandoned. A re-entry permit enables you to be abroad for up to two years.
$1,170. You may pay the fee with a money order, personal check, or cashier's check. When filing at a USCIS lockbox, you may also pay by credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions.
You have been convicted of or admitted to a crime involving moral turpitude, such as fraud. You spent 180 days or more in jail or prison for any crime. You committed any crime related to illegal drugs other than a single offense involving 30 grams or less of marijuana.
The Immigration and Nationality Act provides for special consideration of the civics test for applicants who, at the time of filing their Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, are over 65 years old and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years.
(Boundless has a detailed guide on naturalization eligibility requirements.) To determine your early-filing date, you must find the date on your green card (officially called a “Permanent Resident Card”); add three or five years, whichever is applicable; then subtract 90 days.
If you intend to stay outside the United States for 1 year or more, you must apply for a re-entry permit with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) prior to leaving the United States.
There aren't any rules or laws requiring you to wait a specific time before you are allowed to return. What you must remember is staying the maximum time during your previous visit and then wanting to return soon after that might raise suspicion with the immigration officer.
You will no longer be an American citizen if you voluntarily give up (renounce) your U.S. citizenship. You might lose your U.S. citizenship in specific cases, including if you: Run for public office in a foreign country (under certain conditions) Enter military service in a foreign country (under certain conditions)
A green card provides many advantages, primarily that it allows the green card holder to permanently live and work in the United States, and after a number of years, become a U.S. citizen.
Dual Citizenship or Nationality
Dual citizenship (or dual nationality) means a person may be a citizen of the United States and another country at the same time. U.S. law does not require a person to choose one citizenship or another.
Many clients ask: What if my green card expires while I'm waiting for citizenship? If your green card expires, or is about to expire, while you're waiting for citizenship, you don't need to worry. The USCIS has created Form I-90 specifically for the purpose of replacing an expired green card.
Filing a form online is better than mailing a paper form because you can: Enter your information using a phone, tablet, or computer; Avoid common mistakes (for example, you won't be able to submit without signing);
There are 100 civics questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer correctly 6 of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.
A typical citizenship interview lasts about 20 minutes, but the exact timeframe varies by applicant.
You will receive your passport in about four to six weeks; the documents you submitted with your application will be returned to you within two weeks of receiving your passport. If you don't get your Certificate of Naturalization back, immediately contact the National Passport Information Center to report it.
Your tax returns are very important proof that you are eligible for naturalization. On the day of your interview, bring certified tax returns for the last 5 years (3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen).