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Question about time abroad after activation trip

Kassem

Member
Hello!
I’m planning to activate my GC, and go back “home” for some months. However, I do want to be back in the US in less than 6 months so I don’t lose these months in the citizenship count.

If I visit the US for a few days during this "abroad time", does it reset the clock ? Example: 4 months in Europe, visit the US for a few days, go back for 4 more months to Europe, does this work ?

Thanks!!!!!
Kassem
 
Hello!
I’m planning to activate my GC, and go back “home” for some months. However, I do want to be back in the US in less than 6 months so I don’t lose these months in the citizenship count.

If I visit the US for a few days during this "abroad time", does it reset the clock ? Example: 4 months in Europe, visit the US for a few days, go back for 4 more months to Europe, does this work ?

Thanks!!!!!
Kassem

Take this with a grain of salt: But you should just apply for a re-entry permit. This allows you to leave the US for up to 2 years. Of course, be prepared to be asked questions for a long stay out of the country.

The constant trips are not only just a waste of time and money, but it would look somewhat suspicious. The GC is given under the assumption that the US will be your primary residence. With the example you just gave, it’d be pretty obvious that you are neither living in the US, nor finalising things back home before your final move.
 
If I visit the US for a few days during this "abroad time", does it reset the clock ? Example: 4 months in Europe, visit the US for a few days, go back for 4 more months to Europe, does this work ?

Thanks!!!!!
Kassem

Short answer, no. It may work the first time you do it, the next time you enter again after a few months abensce you’re likely to get harder questions (don’t forget they can see you have a return ticket back out), that time or the time after you’re likely to get a “residency requirements advised” note in your passport and being told to either get a re-entry permit or move properly if you don’t want to lose your green card. You also only have half the story on the citizenship requirements. The other is the physical presence requirement, which you’ll never meet if you keep doing that.

If your second 4-month trip is your final one and you move permanently to the US after that, then it’s ok and many have done this. It’s not clear from your post if that’s your intention.
 
Last edited:
If your second 4-month trip is your final one and you move permanently to the US after that, then it’s ok and many have done this. It’s not clear from your post if that’s your intention.


@SusieQQQ Thanks a lot for your answer, I only saw it now.

Yes, the second 4-month trip is the final and I will move permanently to the US after that.

The reason why I am proposing this 2 trips thing, is because I will need more than 6 months to finalize things back home and move to the US, I will need around 9 months to be precise. So my creative solution (which is not that creative), is to split these 9 months into 5 + 4 for example, by going to the US for a random visit in the middle. The reason is simply not to lose these 9 months in my citizenship count, because once you are outside the US for more than 6 months, you reset the count for the citizenship.

You also only have half the story on the citizenship requirements. The other is the physical presence requirement, which you’ll never meet if you keep doing that.

I am aware of the physical presence requirement for the citizenship, but that won't be a problem as it is calculated over the period of 5 years and i will only do this once.

Thanks again :)
Kassem
 
Take this with a grain of salt: But you should just apply for a re-entry permit. This allows you to leave the US for up to 2 years. Of course, be prepared to be asked questions for a long stay out of the country.

The constant trips are not only just a waste of time and money, but it would look somewhat suspicious. The GC is given under the assumption that the US will be your primary residence. With the example you just gave, it’d be pretty obvious that you are neither living in the US, nor finalising things back home before your final move.

@TheKey Thanks a lot for your reply!
Indeed i thought about the re-entry permit. However as I will only be away for 9 months after my activation trip (which i am trying to split in 2 trips, simply for citizenship related matter) i thought maybe the re-entry permit is not needed.

Many thanks :)
Kassem
 
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