Hello gurus,
It is a strange feeling to return to the forum after four years absence.
I have a few questions. Your opinions/advice will be gladly accepted and appreciated.
I am a LPR since September 9, 2004 (employment based).
I stayed most of the time in the US since then, never traveled outside for more than two months. As a result, I can apply for citizenship on June 12, 2009 (5 years minus 90 days).
My questions are the following. I will travel out of country on June 16, 2009 and return only on August 13, 2009 (almost two months later). Probably, I will be able to comeback to the US in mid July for a few days, but that's all.
After August 13, 2009, I do not expect any travel outside the US, except, perhaps, some very short (say one week long) trips, if any. During all duration, I will be employed in the US and I am not going to work abroad. In fact, some part of my travel abroad is because of my job in the US.
Should I apply for citizenship before I leave the US for my two month long trip? I know that FP invitation usually comes in California pretty fast, in about a month. Do you think I could reschedule the FP appointment by phone calling from abroad? I recall that four-five years ago it was a pain in the neck to reach the INS/ Homeland Security representatives even calling inside the US. A related question is whether my almost two moth long absence will negatively affect the citizenship application (I heard about an opinion that one should try not to travel much during the naturalization process).
Finally, I have one more question. Suppose that I decided to apply for citizenship after my return to the US on Aug 13, 2009. How fast after the return I can apply for citizenship. I heard about 3 month state residency requirement. While I will beck to the same state (and the same city) where I have been living since 1999, I worry that my almost two moths long trip will disrupt my state residency and I will have to wait another three months.
What do you think?
Thanks a lot for your input!
It is a strange feeling to return to the forum after four years absence.
I have a few questions. Your opinions/advice will be gladly accepted and appreciated.
I am a LPR since September 9, 2004 (employment based).
I stayed most of the time in the US since then, never traveled outside for more than two months. As a result, I can apply for citizenship on June 12, 2009 (5 years minus 90 days).
My questions are the following. I will travel out of country on June 16, 2009 and return only on August 13, 2009 (almost two months later). Probably, I will be able to comeback to the US in mid July for a few days, but that's all.
After August 13, 2009, I do not expect any travel outside the US, except, perhaps, some very short (say one week long) trips, if any. During all duration, I will be employed in the US and I am not going to work abroad. In fact, some part of my travel abroad is because of my job in the US.
Should I apply for citizenship before I leave the US for my two month long trip? I know that FP invitation usually comes in California pretty fast, in about a month. Do you think I could reschedule the FP appointment by phone calling from abroad? I recall that four-five years ago it was a pain in the neck to reach the INS/ Homeland Security representatives even calling inside the US. A related question is whether my almost two moth long absence will negatively affect the citizenship application (I heard about an opinion that one should try not to travel much during the naturalization process).
Finally, I have one more question. Suppose that I decided to apply for citizenship after my return to the US on Aug 13, 2009. How fast after the return I can apply for citizenship. I heard about 3 month state residency requirement. While I will beck to the same state (and the same city) where I have been living since 1999, I worry that my almost two moths long trip will disrupt my state residency and I will have to wait another three months.
What do you think?
Thanks a lot for your input!