What's the worst case scenario?

UNlawful permanent residents all around us

This is inapplicable to the original poster in this thread but is interesting info.

There is an unwritten rule at USCIS. You can deny naturalization to someone who committed fraud to get their greencard and as long as there is no other reason (like criminal history) they won't send them to an Immigration Judge.

If they sent them to an IJ, the IJ could grant them relief and re-adjust to valid LPR status.

Instead, they usually make an entry in a database about the unlawful status and if that person travels abroad, they won't be let back in the country.

It is a quiet punishment that doesn't get written about in news articles.

It would be up to the person who committed fraud in the first place to initiate contact with the media, describe how they got the greencard by means of fraud and then try to convince America that (s)he was being persecuted by NOT being placed in Removal Proceedings.

How ridiculous would that be!

UNlawful permanent residents are all around us.
 
I agree with Bobsmyth. As you have more than a year break in 2007 you should apply only after completion of 4 year 1day since your return in 2007 ie Aug2011.

The chances of rejection of your N-400 are high if you apply now because of more than year absence. Why give them a chance to reject your case. However your GC is safe. Choice is yours. Gamble $675/- now or wait 10 months and get a sure citizenship.

I think I might just do this. I didn't realize that I could apply in only 11 months--I thought I had to wait until I had five clean years + some time to put the longer trips behind me. I'm starting a job that requires me to either be applying for citizenship or apply within 6 months of becoming eligible, and since I was fuzzy on exactly when I was eligible I thought I would just try it and see what happens. Now that I know, I'm just going to apply in August.

Just another question: why do they require all trips if they are only concerned with the last 5 years? Also, for the section that requires disclosure of addresses lived at during the past 5 years, if I'm applying under the 4 years/1day rule, is it okay for me to put my Canadian school address (for August 2006-August 2007) and explain that I was a student there at the time in a separate appendix?
 
This is inapplicable to the original poster in this thread but is interesting info.

There is an unwritten rule at USCIS. You can deny naturalization to someone who committed fraud to get their greencard and as long as there is no other reason (like criminal history) they won't send them to an Immigration Judge.

If they sent them to an IJ, the IJ could grant them relief and re-adjust to valid LPR status.

Instead, they usually make an entry in a database about the unlawful status and if that person travels abroad, they won't be let back in the country.

It is a quiet punishment that doesn't get written about in news articles.

It would be up to the person who committed fraud in the first place to initiate contact with the media, describe how they got the greencard by means of fraud and then try to convince America that (s)he was being persecuted by NOT being placed in Removal Proceedings.

How ridiculous would that be!

UNlawful permanent residents are all around us.

This is actually what I was afraid of. Obviously I didn't commit fraud, but I was worried that I would get denied and some record of it would be made, so that I would not get admitted the next time I travel abroad.
 
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