Question about Residence continuity

N

Noman74

Registered Users (C)
After 30 months of physical presence in U.S, If a green card holder travels outside of U.S for 5 months, comes back and leaves after 1 week for another 5 months, Is he/she breaking the continuity requirement. Will this effect the U.S. Citizenship process since he/she is not physically in U.S the whole 5 yrs?

thanks
 
Noman74 said:
After 30 months of physical presence in U.S, If a green card holder travels outside of U.S for 5 months, comes back and leaves after 1 week for another 5 months, Is he/she breaking the continuity requirement. Will this effect the U.S. Citizenship process since he/she is not physically in U.S the whole 5 yrs?

thanks
Click to expand...

Although this technically does not break continuous residence requirements, you may still be questioned about this during the citizenship interview. So, be prepared with a good explanation on why you did this. Are you going to maintain your residence here, pay taxes or have your family here etc during this period?
Also check to see if you will be satisfying the physical presence requirement in the 5 year window prior to application date and also prior to interview date.
 
I had a similar issue. Went out for 4 months, came back for 1 month and then went out for another 4 months. During this time I had an active business here in the US - paying taxes like 941 during my absence. I maintained residence with a friend and paid him some rent - had a letter from the friend. Plus paid personal taxes, had credit cards, cell phone, renewed drivers licence when I came for a month. I even had a reentry permit.

Even though I had all of this - they still questioned me about residence + reason for going abroad for so long. The whole application got approved though - but still. I don't like to be questioned - period. Because I wanted to be as brief as possible I only told them about some of the ties I had. For example - I did not say anything about reentry, bank accounts in the US, about the fact that I had an active business in the US, that I renewed drivers licence, paid taxes.... Mainly talked about reason and the fact that there was a residence maintained - this is all IO was interested in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top