Eligible to file date.

[Ladylethal 12]

Ok, so I'll revert to my noob ways to confirm something about the eligibility dates.

From what I understand absences shorter than 6 months do no count as discontinuity for eligibility to file correct?

But does it count "against" the earliest day possible to file? I mean, my GC expiration date is March 19th so the 90 days previous to it would be around Christmas this year (the 21st but I don't plan to file on the exact 90th day, might even wait until January, 2010). By then I'll have made 2 trips to Brasil since I got my GC, in each one I'll be outside the US for about 2 months. My dumb doubt is: Do I have to deduct those 4 months total from my initial eligible date? Or just write down those dates on the form as information that won't count against me?

[Ladylethal 12]

Nevermind, noob me has found the answer. They won't count against my eligibility meaning I can indeed file around Christmas. Hmmm, earlier than I expected.