Working abroad and applied for naturalization

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dxbkid

Registered Users (C)
Let me start by saying that I'm not trying to cheat the system or anything to that effect. The economy in US has been terrible and after being laid off for close to a year, I finally managed to land a job but it requires me to reside and work in London. The company is a US based company and I would be working for them in their UK office...tried to get a job with them in US but no luck.

Most likely I will be leaving the US towards Jan/Feb timeframe but I have also recently applied for US naturalization. My intent is to come back for any relevant processes i.e. finger prints, interviews, oath et al or come back approximately every 5 months (whichever comes first) so as not to stay outside for over 6 months. As per the terms of employment I will be receiving a US paycheck for the first 8 months or so and then start receiving a paycheck in pounds sterling, so showing that I have US ties (atleast for the first 8 months) should not be a problem. I also have a residence (my brother's place) where I am currently staying and have my mail delivered to it as well. No changes to my current US bank accounts and credit cards.

I've already consulted an immigration lawyer who said that it should be ok for me to do this. Since I'm planning on coming back every few months, the attorney said it should be ok if I don't get a re-entry permit. Obviously what I'm doing is not the ideal course of action but given the situation I don't really have too much of a choice as I have to go where I can get a paycheck.

Any of you in similar situations? Am I missing anything or should I be thinking of something else? I'd appreciate any advice (not opinion) or information you gurus can provide.

Thanks
 
So you applied in February of this year, or so? Chances are you'll get citizenship before you leave, or at least, very soon. So, I think you'll be quite alright :)
 
Actually I just applied yesterday so I'm just starting the process. Its a risk but hope it pays off.
 
Ah, that's too bad. You may have even got your citizenship by now had you applied as soon as you could, but I'm sure you have your reasons. I don't know how long the process takes with your district office, but, again, I think it should be oke, as long as you maintain physical presence and continuous residence. Keep us posted?
 
Dont forget to pay your fedral taxes when they are due this year, thats a proof you are still living in this country, Just saying!;):D
 
cafeconleche said:
Ah, that's too bad. You may have even got your citizenship by now had you applied as soon as you could, but I'm sure you have your reasons. I don't know how long the process takes with your district office, but, again, I think it should be oke, as long as you maintain physical presence and continuous residence. Keep us posted?
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Yeah, I should have done it earlier but hindsight is 20/20. I'm applying to the VSC and it should be routed to the Newark field office if evrything goes fine. Will keep you all posted on the progress.
 
They're almost surely going to deny your citizenship if you're still living and working outside the US for substantial amounts of time during the naturalization process, unless you can get an approved N-470. Otherwise, there's a 95% chance you're wasting your money by applying now ... but hey, it's your money and your choice to waste it, not mine.
 
Jackolantern said:
They're almost surely going to deny your citizenship if you're still living and working outside the US for substantial amounts of time during the naturalization process, unless you can get an approved N-470. Otherwise, there's a 95% chance you're wasting your money by applying now ... but hey, it's your money and your choice to waste it, not mine.
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Funny that the lawyer I consulted didn't bother to mention the N-470. I actually didn't even know about it until I read it on this website. Any idea how long it takes to get the N-470. Would I need a re-entry permit or is it ok to disregard if I intend to come back every 5 months or so? Can I travel before I get these docs or is that not possible? Appreciate all your responses.
 
dxbkid said:
Funny that the lawyer I consulted didn't bother to mention the N-470.
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So get rid of that lawyer, unless he didn't mention it because he knows you are ineligible (eligibility criteria include having spent 1 unbroken year physically in the US anytime after becoming a permanent resident without leaving for even a day during that year, except for going to US territories like Puerto Rico).
I actually didn't even know about it until I read it on this website. Any idea how long it takes to get the N-470.
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Anywhere from a few weeks to a number of months. But it should arrive before your interview.
Would I need a re-entry permit or is it ok to disregard if I intend to come back every 5 months or so?
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Returning to the US every 5 months is not a safe strategy if done over and over without a reentry permit. Some people get away with it, some people don't. So I would suggest getting the reentry permit unless you expect your overseas work to be completely done within one year after you start it (regardless of taking trips to the US in between).
Can I travel before I get these docs or is that not possible? Appreciate all your responses.
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For the reentry permit, it must be filed when you are still physically in the US, and you also have to be in the US for fingerprinting (you can leave the US for the time in between). For the N-470, I don't think there is a requirement to be in the US, but download and read the instructions yourself to be sure.
 
Thanks. I'm filing the N-470 and re-entry permit as we speak. Might as well err on the side of caution. Thanks everyone for their comments. Feel free to add any information you deem necessary.
 
Jackolantern,

You have a tendancy to always discourage people. I understand your point (immigration rules). but the question, I want to ask you is " is there a chance for this dude to be approved? "
When I read you, I always see the most pessimist reply. You said it yourself, "each case is different and do not generalize". Try to be a little positive.
The US economic trend has changed the whole world, dont you think if he explains why he left, he has a (even a slight) chance to be approved?.
 
GCman2005 said:
The US economic trend has changed the whole world, dont you think if he explains why he left, he has a (even a slight) chance to be approved?.
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I mentioned a 95% chance of being denied. That still leaves a 5% chance of being approved.

The US economy doesn't help ... the IO needs to be convinced that your absence is temporary with an expected end date in the not-too-distant future. Nobody knows when the US economy will improve, so as far as they know, you might be spending the next 5 or 10 years or the rest of your life abroad if the US economy is your reason.

Meanwhile, I challenge you to find even one person whose N-400 took at least a year, they were working abroad for at least 80% of the time when their case was pending, they didn't have an N-470, weren't in the military or working for the US government, were still working abroad when the interview took place (with only a short trip back to the US for the interview), and they still got approved.
 
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Yeah his chances are slim--

I was gone for less than 1 year,, I was not working,, it barely touched my 5 year continous stay period ( in fact most of the time I was out of the US was time before the 5 year time ) AND they still denied me for--

Lack of continous stay :-(
 
Get the N-470. With it I think you're okay. Personally, I think the re-entry permit is redundant if you're planning on coming back every 5 months.
 
sh1996 said:
Get the N-470. With it I think you're okay. Personally, I think the re-entry permit is redundant if you're planning on coming back every 5 months.
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I'm applying for both since the company I'm working for has agreed to pick up all the costs associated with naturalization process and and visa fees (pretty nice of them considering the state of the economy). Even if its redundant it doesn't hurt to cover all my bases.
 
sh1996 said:
Get the N-470. With it I think you're okay. Personally, I think the re-entry permit is redundant if you're planning on coming back every 5 months.
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Not if the person is only comming back for a short time like a week or two. That won't do anything to preserve residency requirements as there are no ties to the US at that point to visit. If they were comming back for a few months then going back to England then that would be different, but a short duration "visit" will not satisfy most IO's and convince them that residency has been maintained. This is why the N-470 exists for cases just like this for people in the US to work overseas for US based corporations.

Of course the best method is to just wait till you get your Citizenship and then get transfered overseas without any hassels, but sometimes that's not an option...
 
working abroad

I had somewhat similar situation –

I left the US for overseas assignment a year before I could apply for N-400 (I applied based on 3 years marriage to US citizen).

I continued to be paid in the US and kept many bills – mortgage, phone bills, utilities in the US.

I tried to come back to the US often – every 2 months for at least a week….

By application date I had 380 days out of the country (538 days out by interview date – 8 months later).

I just had my Oath ceremony on Friday (Jan 23) – so that means that means that this process worked :)


Most important thing is to have as many ties back to US – try to see if you could pay bills in the US…..during the interview the IO asked for all the bills as avoidance…

Good luck …
 
Applying for citizenship while living/working overseas.

I am basically looking for anyone who has gone this route: Filing for citizenship while living abroad. if you've been there, please share your experience.

Thank you!
 
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