I have a question about the continuous residence requirement for naturalization.
I have gotten my GC back in Nov 2000 when I was 16yrs old, but my step-father(who I derived my GC from) who is a US citizen by birth has been working overseas for an international bank (Standard Chartered Bank) in Singapore since more than 10 years ago before marrying my mum (my mum has a GC too). Therefore, as a minor I had to stay with my parents in Singapore after becoming a permanent resident of the states. I was having middle and pre-university education in Singapore between Nov 2000 and APR 2005, but I did visit the states during school breaks, while my parents visit my grandmother(father) and relatives(father's sister and newphews and nieces, uncles etc) on a yearly basis in the US.
Therefore, I did absent from the states for more than 6 months but less than a year. And I never ran into any trouble with USCIS or officers at POE. My parents filed for 1040 and Tax return Exemption for Foreign Income each year and I have been claimed as a dependent from time to time depending on my father’s income status on his 1040.
Before turning 21 in AUG 2005, I returned to the States for university education and residence since APR 2005 (after finishing pre-university education in Singapore) and have since only taken a 26days trip overseas. That means I have already been physically present in the States for more than 30months (almost 33 months for the past 5 years).
I applied for naturalization in late Jan, 2008, and since received I-797C NOA from VSC with no exceptions on 1Feb, 2008 and my FP appointment is next Wednesday on the 20th in Philadelphia.
I was wondering if my situation can be demonstrated successfully that I did maintain ties with US as closely as possible during those years between Nov 2000 and APR 2005 in order to prove that I did not break my continuous residency and my original intention is to live in the States but circumstance did not allow as my parents were overseas and I was a minor and had been receiving education in Singapore even prior to getting my US GC status. I was also a Permanent Resident of Singapore between those years and had given up my Singapore Permanent Residency since MARCH 2005 before returning to US. My mum has also returned to spent most of the time here in US since MAY 2005 after my return and served as a faculty at UArts, Philadelphia. My father is still currently working in Singapore as a PR of Singapore. (My mum's return is also partially due to her concerns for me to stay alone in the states)
I have decided to hire a veteran immigration lawyer from Orlow, Kaplan and Hohenstein PC, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to act on my behalf. They had advised me that there shouldn’t be a problem since the situation was unusual and it was not something that can be decided by myself and my family and I did what we could have done best to maintain relationship with US. They asked for all my parents' joint tax return transcripts for the past 6 years. I will be producing enrollment verifications for me in Singapore and etc. However, I would just like to see if you would kindly share your view on the matter.
Thank you very much.