Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
Not everyone thinks long term. I was a nerd in such aspects. For both Canada and the US, I kept an excel document (on 2 separate hard drives) detailing each and every trip I made while holding PR status.
Road trips to canada
- Thread starter abhiku
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sanjoseaug20
Registered Users (C)
Actually, I have learnt quite a few things a green card holder must do in order to naturalize. However, this learning came 5 years after I got the green card.
Isn't that too late? CIS should send out the form N400 or the guide to naturalization or some similar handbook along with a new green card to everyone. After all, the idea of permanent residence is living in US long term and for most of the people it leads to naturalization. So why not educate them early?
Of course someone (or CIS) will say that things change in 5 years. Yes, they do. But why don't you get people started on what you expect from them, and if something big changes 2 years down the line, I am sure most of them will figure it out as long as they know what to watch out for.
sanjoseaug20
Registered Users (C)
To continue on previous comment, but discussing a different issue. Yes, I had GC for 5 years - but the only thing I knew about the residency requirements was - A) spend at least 1/2 the time in US, and B) no trips longer than 6 months. Should I have expected that I will need to account for all trips - NO. Maybe I should have. Anyway eventually but I had to dig through emails 5 years old, check calendars when I could not find tickets to figure out when labor day was in a specific year and so on.
Now think of it - more than a million people are in the same boat. You can expect them all to know this (by magic), or provide them with a booklet similar to 1040 (worksheets) which are only for self-reference (not required to be submitted for bureaucracy) in case one decides to apply for N400.
Not all of us familiarized ourselves with the N-400 requirements upon receiving our Green Cards ... and for those applying under the Marriage based rules, they have to keep track of trips up to 2 years BEFORE they received the green card.Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
It is only necessary to list trips since becoming a permanent resident (even though the form may make it seem like you need to list 5 years). So there is no need to keep track of those 2 years before the GC. It's just a badly worded part of the form.