Need help about eligibility for US citizenship

S

smahima

Registered Users (C)
hi, I received my green card in November 2001. I had to leave US for some family reasons in March 2004. Before leaving I had applied for re-entry permit (Travel document) and I received it - which was valid till Sept. 2006 .
In april 2005 I came to visit US for 2 months. After this short trip I left US in June 2005 and then I came to US in May 2006. Since then I am in US.
I would have become eligible to apply for US citizenship in November 2006. I am not sure if I am still eligible for it as I was outside US for the above mentioned time? (March 2004 to April 2005 and June 2005 to May 2006) (though I have re-entry permit.)
Can some one please tell me if I am still eligible to apply for US citizenship in November 2006?

If I am not eligible at this time, when can I become eligible to apply for US citizenship again?
 
Any absence from the US of more than 6 months breaks continuous presence for naturalization purposes and resets the clock. Reentry Permit does not protect you from this rule, but rather preserves your status of LPR in case of absences of more than one year (in which case LPR status would have been deemed abandoned lacking Reentry Permit).

From your posting it appears that you stayed in the US for at least a year after becoming LPR. That makes you eligible for naturalization after 4 years and 1 day after your last arrival following absence of 6 months or more. Therefore, you' become eligible to apply in May 2010.
 
smahima said:
hi, I received my green card in November 2001. I had to leave US for some family reasons in March 2004. Before leaving I had applied for re-entry permit (Travel document) and I received it - which was valid till Sept. 2006 .
In april 2005 I came to visit US for 2 months. After this short trip I left US in June 2005 and then I came to US in May 2006. Since then I am in US.
I would have become eligible to apply for US citizenship in November 2006. I am not sure if I am still eligible for it as I was outside US for the above mentioned time? (March 2004 to April 2005 and June 2005 to May 2006) (though I have re-entry permit.)
Can some one please tell me if I am still eligible to apply for US citizenship in November 2006?

If I am not eligible at this time, when can I become eligible to apply for US citizenship again?
Click to expand...


Your absences March 2004-April 2005 and June 2005-May 2006 lasted longer than 6 months (in fact roughly a year) each, so they constitute breaks in the continuous residency requirement for naturalization eligibility.

To apply for a citizenship, you have to satisfy the continuous residency requirement for the 5 years prior to the time of application. The last year abroad actually can be counted towards these five years. So it appears that you will be eligible to apply for citizenship in June 2010 at the earliest.
 
Thank you for your information.

Aibolit said:
Any absence from the US of more than 6 months breaks continuous presence for naturalization purposes and resets the clock. Reentry Permit does not protect you from this rule, but rather preserves your status of LPR in case of absences of more than one year (in which case LPR status would have been deemed abandoned lacking Reentry Permit).

From your posting it appears that you stayed in the US for at least a year after becoming LPR. That makes you eligible for naturalization after 4 years and 1 day after your last arrival following absence of 6 months or more. Therefore, you' become eligible to apply in May 2010.
Click to expand...
 
baikal3 said:
Your absences March 2004-April 2005 and June 2005-May 2006 lasted longer than 6 months (in fact roughly a year) each, so they constitute breaks in the continuous residency requirement for naturalization eligibility.

To apply for a citizenship, you have to satisfy the continuous residency requirement for the 5 years prior to the time of application. The last year abroad actually can be counted towards these five years. So it appears that you will be eligible to apply for citizenship in June 2010 at the earliest.
Click to expand...


Thank you for the information.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top