Did Changing jobs immediatly after GC caused problems with your citizenship

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WaitingforAges

Registered Users (C)
Hi, I did recently got my GC, Have been working with the same company for 7.5 years now, i belive i do need a small change, i would like to move to suburb cant afford to be in NJ anymore with the housing prices, I know a lot people would have been on the same boat, i'm trying to find out whether changing jobs immediatly after GC affected you citizenship process in any way and if it did, please do share the information. This information would be quite useful to a lot of people like me.
 
WaitingforAges said:
Hi, I did recently got my GC, Have been working with the same company for 7.5 years now, i belive i do need a small change, i would like to move to suburb cant afford to be in NJ anymore with the housing prices, I know a lot people would have been on the same boat, i'm trying to find out whether changing jobs immediatly after GC affected you citizenship process in any way and if it did, please do share the information. This information would be quite useful to a lot of people like me.
Click to expand...


Dear WaitingforAges,
Changing your jobs immediately after the GC or just before GC may technically create issues for you during your citizenship process. but since you are way early in the process so far, you can prepare better for it than I ever was. Please see this post for more details on this issue.

I have had a few issues with mine. My interview experience is here.. at the bottom.

But at end pretty much everyone did get approved.

Take Care and Good Luck,
 
Since your I-485 was in processing for longer than 180 days, you technically could still change jobs under the rules of AC21. If you do so, you want to make sure the new job has substantively the same role/job description for similar or more pay, plus you really should notify USCIS (although few people do).

Of course there is also the moral angle to this - you're not going to make many friends at your existing company by saying "thanks for sponsoring me for my GC, now I'm off to another company". I'd recommend waiting at least 6 months...
 
A friend of mine changed his job in a month after GC and had no problem in citizenship. Again, this is just information.
 
They say it depends on the intreviewing officer.
Again this is only friendly advice, no legal standing...
 
I got my GC in May 2001, and changed job in Sep 2001. My 485 process took over a year. During my citizenship interview I was prepared to answer that I took advantage of AC21 to change jobs if i was asked, but i was never asked...Again it depends on the IO, but this was my experience.
 
WaitingforAges,

I have been tracking Employment related N-400 cases where the applicants had either changed jobs immediately before getting the GC or immediately after getting the GC, and every single case has been approved on this board. Of course some people (who may had complicated interviews) may not have posted their experience.

  • I would advise you to have ideally a six month gap before you change the job. Since you have a luxury of choosing your job change, have atleast two month gap. This will help you with a bigger peace of mind later when you apply
  • If possible, take an employment verification/termination letter from your current job
  • Ensure that the new job you take has almost same job title and job description and have this absolutely documented

If you keep take care of these things, you have nothing to worry about for your Citizenship process. You seem to be on top of things.. as you are proactively planning your future course of action.. Good going and Good luck
 
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koolvik7 said:
WaitingforAges,

I have been tracking Employment related N-400 cases where the applicants had either changed jobs immediately before getting the GC or immediately after getting the GC, and every single case has been approved on this board. Of course some people (who may had complicated interviews) may not have posted their experience.

  • I would advise you to have ideally a six month gap before you change the job. Since you have a luxury of choosing your job change, have atleast two month gap. This will help you with a bigger peace of mind later when you apply
  • If possible, take an employment verification/termination letter from your current job
  • Ensure that the new job you take has almost same job title and job description and have this absolutely documented

If you keep take care of these things, you have nothing to worry about for your Citizenship process. You seem to be on top of things.. as you are proactively planning your future course of action.. Good going and Good luck
Click to expand...

I agree with Koolvik7 on the issue. For those who have employment based GCs, the question will no doubt come during the interview about the company that sponsored your GC and how long did you stay with that company. When the question is asked, and since you are under oath (and otherwise also it is not good to lie ;-)) you would have to tell the truth. as soon as you indicate that you left your sponsoring company just before or just after getting the LPR, this will raise some suspicions in the IOs mind. They will most probably probe it further, and this is to satisfy that you did not commit a fraud to gain the LPR status. As long as you have sufficient documentation that your intent was not to defraud USCIS for gaining LPR status you would be fine. Hence it is important that you have sufficient evidence that your intent was OK. Having an offer letter that states that you are still in the same field that you were when your GC was filed and approved etc. would greatly help.
Again as I said it may create difficulties during the interview, as the IO will start to question you, and I consider that as a difficulty, but eventually, as long as you are able to convincingly prove to the IO that you did not commit a fraud with USCIS, you would be OK.

hope it helps..

Take Care and Good Luck,:D
 
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