continuous residence papers

[HannahSun]

I stayed out of the country for 11 months this year and am getting ready to apply for citizenship. Now, my question is to anyone who has experience with a similiar case, do I need to attach all the papers that I have to prove I did not break continuous residence with my application when I send it in? Or do I just take it with me when I go to the interview and be ready to show when I am asked about it?

Thank you !

 

[boatbod]

I stayed out of the country for 11 months this year and am getting ready to apply for citizenship. Now, my question is to anyone who has experience with a similiar case, do I need to attach all the papers that I have to prove I did not break continuous residence with my application when I send it in? Or do I just take it with me when I go to the interview and be ready to show when I am asked about it?

Thank you !

Its not going to hurt your case if you send a copy of the papers with your application, but don't expect the IO to have read and understood them prior to your interview. Definitely take all your proof with you.

What is the basis for your claim that you did not break residence?

 

[Jackolantern]

Do you plan to continue taking long trips outside the US while you wait for your application to be processed?

 

[kckfs]

What do the N-400 instructions say regarding supporting paperwork for this question? I might attach a brief explanatory note to explain your answer eg stating you maintained US ties etc, and state that you will bring the papers proving your position to the interview.

 

[Jackolantern]

What do the N-400 instructions say regarding supporting paperwork for this question? I might attach a brief explanatory note to explain your answer eg stating you maintained US ties etc, and state that you will bring the papers proving your position to the interview.

No. Don't draw attention to residence issues. Wait until asked, then show the evidence at the interview.

 

[HannahSun]

No, I do not plan on taking any trips outside of the US anytime soon.


I did look at the N400, but as for as I can tell it says only to list all the trips you have taken outside of the US since becoming a perminent resident and to list them on a seperate sheet of paper if necessary, it does not say anything about explaining why a trip took a longer.

I went in order to bring my grandmother, my last living grandparent, to the US. However, her healthy continued to decline and she just was not able to make the trip. I do have medical records.

I have also maintained all of my ties to the US that I had before going. I lived with my mom and dad, who are US citizens, and came back to live with them. I have continued to pay my phone bills, continued my US bank account and have paid my credit card bills. I have also served 8 yeas in the US military and am in my last year as an inactive soldier.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Jackolantern]

I did look at the N400, but as for as I can tell it says only to list all the trips you have taken outside of the US since becoming a perminent resident and to list them on a seperate sheet of paper if necessary, it does not say anything about explaining why a trip took a longer.

Correct. They "why" is for the interview, and only if brought up by the interviewer.

I went in order to bring my grandmother, my last living grandparent, to the US.

If you give that as the reason, be prepared to answer whether that was to visit or to live in the US. And if you say "to live", she should have had a green card petition filed for her (i.e. don't give the impression that you were bringing her to overstay her visa and live out the rest of her life in the US, as some other immigrants do with their aging parents or grandparents).

I have also maintained all of my ties to the US that I had before going. I lived with my mom and dad, who are US citizens, and came back to live with them.

Did either of them become a US citizen before you were 18? If yes, you may already be a US citizen.

 

[nyc_nyc_nyc]

i stayed for 11 months also.. im waiting for my IL. i live with parents so our case so far is similiar. i also stayed that long for family reasons

 

[HannahSun]

We only hopped to have my grandmother come stay with us for 6 months to a year. Just a visit, not to live here, so I will be prepared for that question. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

No, I was over 18 when my parents became citizens.

I will get all the documents I need, including my parents morgage papers since I live with them and will let you know how it all goes.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[aabbcc11]

Just apply with t he basic docs and take the additional paperwork later with you for the interview.

 

[Jackolantern]

We only hopped to have my grandmother come stay with us for 6 months to a year.

Visitors visas allow a maximum stay of 6 months. Yes, an extension can be granted for another 6 months, but those are exceptions, and a visitor should not land in the US telling them about planning to stay for a year. If you talk about her staying one year the interviewer may interpret it as planning to overstay.

 

[HannahSun]

Visitors visas allow a maximum stay of 6 months. Yes, an extension can be granted for another 6 months, but those are exceptions, and a visitor should not land in the US telling them about planning to stay for a year. If you talk about her staying one year the interviewer may interpret it as planning to overstay.

Aha, I was not aware of that, thank you. Will keep it in mind, thanks for all your help.

 

[Feliz-LA]

I had 2 trips of "between 6 and 12 month" length and i sent my explanatory docs but now I regret it, after reading this forum I would just fill truth in the appropriate answer of the form, but not attach any extra info about trips, IO might ignore it if unnoticed.

it's all about luck with what kind of IO you get

 

[immigrateful]

I stayed out of the country for 11 months this year and am getting ready to apply for citizenship. Now, my question is to anyone who has experience with a similiar case, do I need to attach all the papers that I have to prove I did not break continuous residence with my application when I send it in? Or do I just take it with me when I go to the interview and be ready to show when I am asked about it?

Thank you !

It is definitely a bad idea to send additional documents with the N-400 application.

Just send whatever the latest N-400 application filing requirements suggest.

Taking the additional documents along with you for the interview is a good plan but it is likely that the IO will ask for things you never anticipated and she will ask you to mail them. Or this might not even come up in your interview at all.