Resident going to work abroad in 2 months, can I apply at embassy?

S

shootermcgavin

Registered Users (C)
This is a difficult one for me to try and work out.

I have just become eligible for citizenship. But I am just about to leave the U.S. and work abroad for 2+ years. This work is of a religious nature and I am ordained.

I would like to know if it is possible to apply for U.S. citizenship and do the testing at a U.S. foreign embassy?
Or is my only option to apply for a re-entry permit?

One immigration official once mentioned something to me that "religious work" can allow for a longer "away status". Is this true at all?

Thank you so much in advance.
 
I think you will qualify for filing an N-470 so that you will preserve your residency in order to apply for naturalization.

This part of the instructions for N-470 is probably of interest to you:

The regulations are different for religious workers proceedingabroad to perform religious duties. Religious workers mayapply before or after departure, or after return to the UnitedStates. They are not required to have lived in the UnitedStates for a specific period of time prior to filing Form N-470.

Good Luck! :)
 
You'll need both an N-470 (to preserve your continuous residence) and a I-131 Reentry Permit to preserve your LPR.
 
Thanks

Hey thanks so much, this is really useful. I need to read more but off the top of your head do you know how long an n-470 is viable? If I worked abroad for 3 years would this cause problems with re-entry? How about 8 years??

Oh and what if I was just to re-enter for a couple of months? would I need to apply for another re-entry permit?

Thanks again :)
 
I believe the max period for an N-470 is 2 years, but you better check it out yourself just to be sure.

In any case, both the N-470 and I-131 are intended to cover temporary absences from the US, and do not allow you to work overseas on an indefinite basis. I'm fairly sure you will need to specify an end date when you apply.

Short return visits are not the answer either - check some of the recent postings relating to continuous residency.
 
What I will attempt

After much reading this is what I will try and do.
  1. Get a re-entry permit
  2. Apply for N-470
  3. Move to Australia (working under N-470)
  4. Apply for citizenship at USCIS with Australian address
  5. Hopefully get fingerprinted at the U.S. embassy
  6. Have interview and testing in Hawaii (1st flight)
  7. Take oath in Hawaii (2nd flight)
Hopefully this all can be done within a year. It is unfortunate that I will have to make the flights to Hawaii as finances will be tight but I see no other way around it.

Thanks for answers so far and further comments are appreciated still :D

Shooter.
 
Sorry to break it to you but I don't think your plan will work. First of all, it has to be one hack of a special case for CIS to accept a foreign address and finger printing at embassy (for example, military deployment and such). I am fairly certain you have to have a US address and do the fingerprinting in corrsponding district office. I really don't see an exception in your case.

In order to use Hawaii as your US address, you also need a proof of at least 3 month residence in the state. So unless you are wiling to live there for such duration, that might cause a problem later down the line (i.e., interview time)

I think your best bet is to apply for citizenship ASAP at your current address and that way, your fingerprinting will get done in about a month, assuming you are still in US then. When you are leaving the US, have your address changed to friends who can take care of your mail. And then need to fly in twice for interview and oath (just once if you are lucky, you might get same day oath, depending on district office). I know it's difficult but that's the best scenario I can come up with. Maybe someone can suggest something better.
 
shootermcgavin said:
After much reading this is what I will try and do.
[*]Get a re-entry permit
[*]Apply for N-470
[*]Move to Australia (working under N-470)
[*]Apply for citizenship at USCIS with Australian address
Click to expand...
That isn't going to work because you have to be resident in the US to qualify. All the N-470 does is keep you from loosing your accumulated continuous residence time.
shootermcgavin said:
[*]Hopefully get fingerprinted at the U.S. embassy
[*]Have interview and testing in Hawaii (1st flight)
[*]Take oath in Hawaii (2nd flight)
Click to expand...
Not likely. All appointments are scheduled in the district with jurisdiction over your US address, and you have to have been a resident in a district for at least 3 months prior to applying, so unless you move to Hawaii first, it isn't going to happen there.
shootermcgavin said:
Hopefully this all can be done within a year. It is unfortunate that I will have to make the flights to Hawaii as finances will be tight but I see no other way around it.
Click to expand...

Seems to me you either apply now and delay your trip, or go for two years on N-470 and move back here then apply. You definitely won't be applying while living abroad.
 
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