N-400 Question 7A

[crofton 0]

I apologize if this is already discussed in this forum earlier. I could not find any posts regarding my situation.

Let me give some background. I am about to file N-400 for my wife. I am a US citizen. My wife has been in United States for last 3 years. She did not travel outside of United States in the last 3 years.

The question 7A on the N-400 application goes like this: "How many total days did you spend outside of the United States during the past five years?" What should be my answer here? She spent 2 years in India before coming here and then she spent last 3 years in USA. She never travelled outside of USA in the last 3 years.

[cmartyn 0]

The big donut, zero, nada, they are only concerned with days since becoming an LPR.

[satura 0]

yes, cmartyn is right. 0 will be fine.

an attorney told me before, it's alright to cross out the "five" on the app, and write "three" on the form. I did that on my N400 too, I submitted the form 3 weeks ago...

[tammiandtom 0]

There was some debate on this question in january: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=104942

We weren't sure what to put either, and we've been debating. I think we will count it for the three years, since it makes no sense to count the time before he moved here. I kind of like the idea of crossing out the five and putting three.

[crofton 0]

Thanks for the reply.

I am really confused about this. If you read the question 7A in absence of any other background information then the answer would be 2 years * 365 days = 730 days. Doesn't it?

The exact question is: "How many total days did you spend outside of the United States during the past five years?"

[ilovecookies 0]

i actually counted the number of days....it was 610. then i attached an explanation that i didn't go out of the country since coming here in 04. i hope that was ok, only submitted the application 2 days ago.

[tammiandtom 0]

I wish some people who got approved would tell us what they put.

[simple_male 1]

Thanks for the reply.

I am really confused about this. If you read the question 7A in absence of any other background information then the answer would be 2 years * 365 days = 730 days. Doesn't it?

The exact question is: "How many total days did you spend outside of the United States during the past five years?"

The question is asked in general sense. Usually, a permament resident can apply for US citizenship after 5 year's (4-yr 9-month is fine also) of continuos permanent residency. Only a spouse of a US citizen and military personnel can apply for US citizenship after 3 year's of continuous permanent residency. Crofton, I would just write a note that your wife has never been out of USA in the last 3 years and she was in India for 2 years prior to that.

They should have ask the question more clearly, "How many total days did you spend outside of the United States during the past five years (past three years to whomever it is applicable to)?"

[lucyrich 20]

That's gotta be one of the most confusing things on the form. In most cases, you should take the questions very literally and answer them exactly as written. But this seems to be a potential exception.

We did the "cross out the five and write three" thing, and answered it for three years.

I know that the only legal requirement concerns the past three years, if you're applying based on three years married to a USC.

But if you answer that question for the last five years, and give the correct dates of travel, that should give them enough information to figure out that you met the requirements, and that's the important thing.

They'll go over the N-400 in person at the interview anyway, to make sure you still meet the requirements. So you'll get a chance to explain things then.

[smartie 0]

I have the same question. Did it work ok with putting 0 for Part 7 A and B?

I live in US for 4 1/2 years and I am PR (married to USC) for about 3 years. Never traveled since I came here.

THanks!

[laura19angel 0]

I put how many days I have visited abroad in the past 3 years, since I am applying on the basis of being married and living here for 3 years. I think it is an ambiguous question, and I feel they ask this question in order to find out if you have really been residing in the US since becoming a resident - be it for 5 or 3 years. Why would they care where i've visited before coming here as a permanent resident? I have already answered that question as a K1! They should have put 5/3 years as applicable.

Edited April 30, 2008 by laura19angel

[smartie 0]

I put how many days I have visited abroad in the past 3 years, since I am applying on the basis of being married and living here for 3 years. I think it is an ambiguous question, and I feel they ask this question in order to find out if you have really been residing in the US since becoming a resident - be it for 5 or 3 years. Why would they care where i've visited before coming here as a permanent resident? I have already answered that question as a K1! They should have put 5/3 years as applicable.

Thanks laura19angel.

I will put 0 for both , cross the 5 and put 3.

[NickD 203]

The last five years!

Where did you live, where were you employed, and how many days were you out of the country? Only thing that made sense was to list the number of days you were out of the country since becoming a permanent resident. Just took these questions in their literal sense and made sure all these dates were correct. In the last five years including trips, wife spent 409 days out of the country and that matched exactly with her addresses and employment history and our trips.

Next question, five years from what date? Specified the date she signed the application, even though it was 88 days before she was actually eligible. Also had problems with how many times I was married, question infers previous marriages, but they actually want the total number of marriages. Found an old pre DHS citizen application, was actually written in English without these questions. Last debating point as my wife is a very charitable person has she joined fund raising organizations. Yes, the United Way, American Heart Association, Smile, and the Angel Fund, question infers if these organizations are such as to overthrow the US government, but checked with my attorney on that as well as previous or total marriages, list them as they do not specify what type of organization.

Not sure if I agree on changing the form by crossing out the five and making it a three, in other legal terms, you don't change the form, if they say five years, I take that to mean five years.

Ha, did you come here to overthrow the US government? Guess that is one way to catch the bad guys.

It's up to the USCIS to make corrections to their forms, just answer their questions to the best of our ability, but made sure all the dates matched and we have proof of those dates.