Applying for citizenship outside USA or leaving right after applying ... possible
- Thread starter cron2
- Start date
cron2 said:
cron2. You cannot file outside. You could leave right after filing and FP done. You will have to come back for interview and oath. The period between FP and interview is your window to live outside US. When you do live outside, your only obligation is to collect information that will prove you have not abandoned your GC by breaking ties with United States. I have posted lots of information on this topic in another thread. Pls search and read those.
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Rahul Kumar
Registered Users (C)
cron2,
You can file & leave though. You can then get someone to postpone your FP if you plan to stay away for long periods of time (over 1 month or so)
You can file & leave though. You can then get someone to postpone your FP if you plan to stay away for long periods of time (over 1 month or so)
Rahul Kumar
Registered Users (C)
cron2 said:
Like JoeF says, while your application for citizenship is pending you are subject to all laws of PR'hood' including Physical Presence (30/60 months in US) and Continious Residency (Trips < 6 months)....
Rahul Kumar
Registered Users (C)
dsfgh100 said:
too bad noone kisses you!
If you file and leave the country, how do postpone your FP appointment through a friend, assuming that your friend will get the appointment letter? I am think of filing and leaving the country for a 5 month 20 day trip to my home country. So, when my friend request for FP reappointment, can he give a request any time in the future? Thanks
You'd have to prepare a pre-signed letter to your friend and have him mail it requesting to postpone the FP. Leaving so long right after you apply is not really a good idea as it raises questions of continuous residency ties.
My fingerprinting appointment letter says that if you miss your appointment, you can go on any following Wednesday(no appointment necessary) until a certain date which was a specified date 3 months down the line from my original FP date. Failure to do so within that date would mean they will treat it as an abandoned application. So you do not need to reschedule but you need to do it within that 3 month period. You might need to check your local DO to see if they follow the same procedure. 5 months is an awful long time though so keep reviewing the physical presence & district residency requirements applicable to you.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
In order to obtain citizenship, you are required to maintain continuous residence in the US throughout the entire process until the oath. So unless your trips abroad are just going to be short visits and not permanent relocation, what you're planning will jeopardize your application.
Quick trip for the World Cup and 90 days district residence
Folks:
SITUATION:
I plan to apply for citizenship around May 5th '10, 90+ days after being a resident in my district. Early in '09 I purchased tickets to the Soccer World Cup 2010 in South Africa. I plan to fly to South Africa for one week around June 7th to June 12th to watch this match in South Africa. I'll then return to the States.
QUESTIONS:
1) In his post above of Sept '04, dsfgh100 says "...The period between FP and interview is your window to live outside US....". Is this statement correct? Can I leave for South Africa right after I file my application for citizenship, or do I first need to get my fingerprinting done and out of the way before flying out of the States (per dsfgh100)?
2) We can apply for citizenship at least 90 days after residing in the district from which we're applying. How does USCIS know I've been resident in a district for 90 days? If I newly moved to a district, do I start counting the 90 days from the date I actually moved to the district (of which I have evidence, e.g. rental agreements), or from the date when I think USCIS received my change of address form notifying USCIS that I've moved to the new district?
Thanks in advance
Sikander
Folks:
SITUATION:
I plan to apply for citizenship around May 5th '10, 90+ days after being a resident in my district. Early in '09 I purchased tickets to the Soccer World Cup 2010 in South Africa. I plan to fly to South Africa for one week around June 7th to June 12th to watch this match in South Africa. I'll then return to the States.
QUESTIONS:
1) In his post above of Sept '04, dsfgh100 says "...The period between FP and interview is your window to live outside US....". Is this statement correct? Can I leave for South Africa right after I file my application for citizenship, or do I first need to get my fingerprinting done and out of the way before flying out of the States (per dsfgh100)?
2) We can apply for citizenship at least 90 days after residing in the district from which we're applying. How does USCIS know I've been resident in a district for 90 days? If I newly moved to a district, do I start counting the 90 days from the date I actually moved to the district (of which I have evidence, e.g. rental agreements), or from the date when I think USCIS received my change of address form notifying USCIS that I've moved to the new district?
Thanks in advance
Sikander
sanjoseaug20
Registered Users (C)
1) In his post above of Sept '04, dsfgh100 says "...The period between FP and interview is your window to live outside US....". Is this statement correct? Can I leave for South Africa right after I file my application for citizenship, or do I first need to get my fingerprinting done and out of the way before flying out of the States (per dsfgh100)?
... If you are leaving for a week, don't worry - you can do it anytime - as long as you do not miss any appointments. Leaving just after filing N400 will give you enough time to come back from that 1 week vacation since receipt + FP notice will take well over 2 weeks.
2) We can apply for citizenship at least 90 days after residing in the district from which we're applying. How does USCIS know I've been resident in a district for 90 days? If I newly moved to a district, do I start counting the 90 days from the date I actually moved to the district (of which I have evidence, e.g. rental agreements), or from the date when I think USCIS received my change of address form notifying USCIS that I've moved to the new district?
... It should be based on when you moved in. You should be able to prove it if asked, that's all.
... If you are leaving for a week, don't worry - you can do it anytime - as long as you do not miss any appointments. Leaving just after filing N400 will give you enough time to come back from that 1 week vacation since receipt + FP notice will take well over 2 weeks.
2) We can apply for citizenship at least 90 days after residing in the district from which we're applying. How does USCIS know I've been resident in a district for 90 days? If I newly moved to a district, do I start counting the 90 days from the date I actually moved to the district (of which I have evidence, e.g. rental agreements), or from the date when I think USCIS received my change of address form notifying USCIS that I've moved to the new district?
... It should be based on when you moved in. You should be able to prove it if asked, that's all.
Thanks sanjoseaug20-couple of additional questions
I appreciate the reply, thank you very much. A couple of follow up questions:
SITUATION:
I'm considering submitting the N400 on May 3rd and flying out to Africa around Friday June 4th/Saturday June 5th. As you know I'm planning to be in Africa for a week.
QUESTIONS:
1) Assuming the letter requesting me to show up for fingerprinting shows up in my mailbox just after I depart, how much time is given to the applicant between when the letter is sent to/received by the applicant and the date when the applicant is expected to appear for fingerprinting? Do we have to appear for fingerprinting within 1/2/3 weeks from the date we receive the letter?
2) Just to be extra safe, I'm thinking of providing a PO Box at which USCIS can send me my receipts/fingerprinting/interview/oath invites. I don't want my physical address mailbox to get potentially overcrowded and to run out of space when it's time for insertion of my fingerprinting and other invites. Does USCIS allow applicants to specify PO Boxes for correspondence?
Regards,
Sikander
I appreciate the reply, thank you very much. A couple of follow up questions:
SITUATION:
I'm considering submitting the N400 on May 3rd and flying out to Africa around Friday June 4th/Saturday June 5th. As you know I'm planning to be in Africa for a week.
QUESTIONS:
1) Assuming the letter requesting me to show up for fingerprinting shows up in my mailbox just after I depart, how much time is given to the applicant between when the letter is sent to/received by the applicant and the date when the applicant is expected to appear for fingerprinting? Do we have to appear for fingerprinting within 1/2/3 weeks from the date we receive the letter?
2) Just to be extra safe, I'm thinking of providing a PO Box at which USCIS can send me my receipts/fingerprinting/interview/oath invites. I don't want my physical address mailbox to get potentially overcrowded and to run out of space when it's time for insertion of my fingerprinting and other invites. Does USCIS allow applicants to specify PO Boxes for correspondence?
Regards,
Sikander
sanjoseaug20
Registered Users (C)
Your FP might be pretty close to when you are traveling. However, a lot of people have reported (that does not imply ALL) that their FP notice says they get 3 months after the appointment date to go and finish the FP ... usually on a Wed afternoon. A lot of people have also succeeded in doing FP before their scheduled time by just landing up with a travel story / proof. Does not seem to be a big issue.
PO Box - CIS allows you to provide a CARE OF address on the N400 itself. Could that be a PO box - no reason why it could not be ... although I do not recall reading someone's experience with a PO box. However, if I was in your place, I would not do it ... one or two weeks of mail is not too much, and you can also ask the post office to hold it for you rather than continuing to deliver in a progressively fuller mailbox.
sanjoseaug20
Registered Users (C)
Duplicate so deleted. Took 3+ minutes for website to return ... and hence the original double submit. This happened a couple of days back too.
Last edited by a moderator:
You can use a PO Box for a mailing address. However, you must still indicate a main physical address on your application. Also, if you use a private PO Box (instead of a standard USPS PO Box) , some USCIS mail (stamped with do not forward) will not get forwarded.
FYI, I got my citizenship a week ago. I applied from abroad with an approved N-470. My interview and oath were on the same day at the San Francisco USCIS office. Mine was an administrative oath in front of a USCIS official in his office.
Bottom line:
1. If you have an approved N-470, and have accumulated the required physical residence, you CAN apply from abroad.
2. When applying, you can submit fingerprints on the FBI FD-258 cards and save a trip to the US for biometrics. I did not do this myself as I was not aware this was possible.
3. The 90-day residence requirement is NOT for the 90 days immediately preceding the filing of the N-400. Basically, you should have resided in that district for that period at SOME time in the past.
4. USCIS takes the view that an approved N-470 preserved BOTH continuous residence in general AND residence in the last district you lived in before leaving the US.
Bottom line:
1. If you have an approved N-470, and have accumulated the required physical residence, you CAN apply from abroad.
2. When applying, you can submit fingerprints on the FBI FD-258 cards and save a trip to the US for biometrics. I did not do this myself as I was not aware this was possible.
3. The 90-day residence requirement is NOT for the 90 days immediately preceding the filing of the N-400. Basically, you should have resided in that district for that period at SOME time in the past.
4. USCIS takes the view that an approved N-470 preserved BOTH continuous residence in general AND residence in the last district you lived in before leaving the US.
applying for citizenship outside the usa
Ok my parents dead both of them ,i been living in the us for 10 years plus...its about time for me to become a citizenship .know heres my problem i left usa because i had nobody to stay work not so good .me have a business mind set in wich i belive to own a business ....me staying in the usa was homeless have nowhere to go ..no transportation or nothing i have a step dad in mexico .he wants to help me out ..but he has a job for me over there .i took a flight over there know am working and doing good and saving for my business .know my question is can i apply for my citizenship ove there in mexico ..because am homeless in the usa ..but dont want to loose that oportunity to have a usa passport ...can i explain these have both parents pass away me to be able to explain and apply and becaome a usa citizenship withouth going back to the usa .....because i have nobody in the usa to stay and live
Ok my parents dead both of them ,i been living in the us for 10 years plus...its about time for me to become a citizenship .know heres my problem i left usa because i had nobody to stay work not so good .me have a business mind set in wich i belive to own a business ....me staying in the usa was homeless have nowhere to go ..no transportation or nothing i have a step dad in mexico .he wants to help me out ..but he has a job for me over there .i took a flight over there know am working and doing good and saving for my business .know my question is can i apply for my citizenship ove there in mexico ..because am homeless in the usa ..but dont want to loose that oportunity to have a usa passport ...can i explain these have both parents pass away me to be able to explain and apply and becaome a usa citizenship withouth going back to the usa .....because i have nobody in the usa to stay and live
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
Do you have a green card?