Abroad trip after filing N400 application

[rishim]

I know there are similar questions but after reading them I got concerned. I think my situation is straight forward but want to get expert opinions.

I am eligible to apply for citizenship on May 27th. I am planning to travel to India on May 20th (leave the application with a friend and ask him to file on June 1st) and return July 1st in time for FP. I don't plan on traveling after that and I'm joining b-school (in US) in Aug. My questions are:

1. Do I need to include this travel in the application. There is a chance I might come back earlier than July 1st. I resigned my job since I am going to b-school and offered to consult for the company if needed. The company said there is a chance they might need me back by mid-June and I promised to come back sooner if that's the case. Since I don't know the exact return date and the travel is not completed at the time of submission, can I ignore it in the application form.

2. I travelled couple of other times this year both times to India for a total of 6 weeks mainly to drain the vacation hours before starting b-school. Is this going to cause any alarm? Is the fact that I am registering to go to school here enough to answer this concern? Do I need to mention about joining school anywhere (not sure where)?

3. I currently live in Seattle and have lived here for more than 3 years. I want to submit my application here. But in August I'll be moving to Michigan. Will that be a problem? I can fly back to Seattle to attend the interview.

Thanks, I really appreciate all the responses.

 

[DavidSEA]

1. Do I need to include this travel in the application. There is a chance I might come back earlier than July 1st. I resigned my job since I am going to b-school and offered to consult for the company if needed. The company said there is a chance they might need me back by mid-June and I promised to come back sooner if that's the case. Since I don't know the exact return date and the travel is not completed at the time of submission, can I ignore it in the application form.

In your N-400 that you'll have sent at the beginning of June, just list all your trips until now. You'll have the opportunity to add the upcoming trip with then-known dates at your interview. It's not unusual to travel between filing and interview. Your travel is also short and temporary and will not raise much concern for the IO (unless you have an extensive previous travel history over the past 5 years)

2. I travelled couple of other times this year both times to India for a total of 6 weeks mainly to drain the vacation hours before starting b-school. Is this going to cause any alarm? Is the fact that I am registering to go to school here enough to answer this concern? Do I need to mention about joining school anywhere (not sure where)?

No need to explain much as part of your N-400 filing, just list the travel dates. At your interview, the IO might want to to explain more about the purpose of those travels, having a copy of your school registration will make it a quite plausible explanation.

3. I currently live in Seattle and have lived here for more than 3 years. I want to submit my application here. But in August I'll be moving to Michigan. Will that be a problem? I can fly back to Seattle to attend the interview.

The Seattle DO (like many other DOs) processes most naturalization cases within 3 months, so your interview/oath date will likely happen in early September. One option is to have your case transferred to a MI DO for the interview/oath, but that will likely delay the process.
Other option is you delay your move by several weeks or keep your place here for a bit longer, overlapping with your new place in MI. Delay getting a new drivers ID in MI. The point is to have a credible argument that you have your main residence still in SEA.

good luck!

 

[baikal3]

I know there are similar questions but after reading them I got concerned. I think my situation is straight forward but want to get expert opinions.

I am eligible to apply for citizenship on May 27th. I am planning to travel to India on May 20th (leave the application with a friend and ask him to file on June 1st) and return July 1st in time for FP. I don't plan on traveling after that and I'm joining b-school (in US) in Aug. My questions are:

1. Do I need to include this travel in the application. There is a chance I might come back earlier than July 1st. I resigned my job since I am going to b-school and offered to consult for the company if needed. The company said there is a chance they might need me back by mid-June and I promised to come back sooner if that's the case. Since I don't know the exact return date and the travel is not completed at the time of submission, can I ignore it in the application form.

2. I travelled couple of other times this year both times to India for a total of 6 weeks mainly to drain the vacation hours before starting b-school. Is this going to cause any alarm? Is the fact that I am registering to go to school here enough to answer this concern? Do I need to mention about joining school anywhere (not sure where)?

3. I currently live in Seattle and have lived here for more than 3 years. I want to submit my application here. But in August I'll be moving to Michigan. Will that be a problem? I can fly back to Seattle to attend the interview.

Thanks, I really appreciate all the responses.

You should not include a trip that has not yet started in an N-400. You will be able to add information about foreign trips taken after the filing of N-400 during the interview.

I agree with David SEA that it would be advisable for you to delay a move from Seattle. If you move during an N-400 processing, you will be obligated to report your address change to USCIS. N-400 applications are processed by DOs according to your current place of residence and the oath must be administered in the jursdiction of the current residence; so your case would have to be transferred to a different office and it will not be possible for you to come back to Seattle to take the oath.
Moreover, one of the naturalization requirements is residence for at least 90 days in the state from where an application is submitted. So if you file N-400 after moving from Seattle to Michigan, you'd need to wait 3 months before you can file an N-400 application from Michigan. Moreover, I am not exactly sure how moving to a different state during N-400 processing affects the 3 months state residency requirement...

 

[Bobsmyth]

Moving to a different state during the process means that your file must be transferred between jurisdictions, thereby incuring an additional delay of up to 3 months.

Is your May 27 filing eligibility based on up to 90 day early filing grace period?

 

[rishim]

Moving to a different state during the process means that your file must be transferred between jurisdictions, thereby incuring an additional delay of up to 3 months.

Is your May 27 filing eligibility based on up to 90 day early filing grace period?

Yes, I got my green card on Aug 24, 2005. So subtracting 90 days, I get May 27.

I have to move to Michigan. The school starts in August. I didn't want to wait three months after moving there. But not sure what to do now.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

I have to move to Michigan. The school starts in August. I didn't want to wait three months after moving there. But not sure what to do now.

I am not sure what your reasons for now waiting are, but ... why don't you file after you move. Going to school indicates no urgent need to travel, so best stabilize the residency district and then file. It is going to make a 6 month difference, but simplify your life quite a bit.