N-400 Part 7~Time outside US

[-B&T- 1]

Hi all,

I just want to ask this question although I am not eligible to file for naturalization yet.I would really appreciate any inputs and thank you all in advance.Part 7 of the Form just confused me a little bit.Two years ago, my husband and I went to US-Mexico border town in Nogales and I cannot remember the date as we only drove to get there and when I checked our passports this morning, there is no stamps on it to show that we crossed the border.Went there morning like 9am and then came back at 2pm.The officer just looked at my green card and our passports and did not put stamp or write anything or at least a date on the passport so at least I could remember when we entered mexico.So since there is no record or stamp in my passport, is it safe to put 0 in part 7?I know it doesn't sound right since we really crossed the border but I just cant remember the date My husband said maybe it's safe to put zero since he thinks there is no record/stamp on my passport?Anybody who has similar situation or those who always crossed the border how did you fill-up the part 7 of the N-400 Form when you filed for naturalization??

Thanks.

[Stella08 0]

In your N-400 you only have to list trips outside the U.S. which lasted longer than 24 hours.

[antda 13]

Hi Bituin,

Likewise, I have a similar situation, as I cross over the US-Canada border often, as I'm a Canadian citizen, live close to there (about 1-2 hrs away), and I have family and friends that I visit in Canada too. There are some trips that I don't remember the exact date either (lol...unless I look them up on my own somewhat inaccurate records...which reminds me....I have to find those past calendars soon...).

I haven't filed for the N-400 yet (but I will file in August), but for those "undocumented trips" (I have no passport stamps in my Canadian passport either, nor do I have any proof from the border officials that I have crossed the border otherwise), where I don't remember the exact dates, so this is what I will do:

-Write down an estimate, recalling to the best of one's ability...For example, "June 2009, a trip less than 24 hours" or "June 2009, a trip lasting 1-2 days", or something along those lines...Having an estimate is better than not writing anything at all.

-Don't not write them down/put 0, as they can check their records accordingly, especially more so since they have seen the green card and passport (and have scanned both in). And if one says 0 even though it isn't, this can/might be seen as a lie and could be used against a person.

-Show proof of those trips, if possible (for example, receipts, photos, ticket stubs, etc.)

-If they ask for further questions, just explain accordingly during the interview.

Hope this helps. Good luck on the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant (Frequent US/Canada border traveller...When did I travel again?...lol...)

Hi all,

I just want to ask this question although I am not eligible to file for naturalization yet.I would really appreciate any inputs and thank you all in advance.Part 7 of the Form just confused me a little bit.Two years ago, my husband and I went to US-Mexico border town in Nogales and I cannot remember the date as we only drove to get there and when I checked our passports this morning, there is no stamps on it to show that we crossed the border.Went there morning like 9am and then came back at 2pm.The officer just looked at my green card and our passports and did not put stamp or write anything or at least a date on the passport so at least I could remember when we entered mexico.So since there is no record or stamp in my passport, is it safe to put 0 in part 7?I know it doesn't sound right since we really crossed the border but I just cant remember the date My husband said maybe it's safe to put zero since he thinks there is no record/stamp on my passport?Anybody who has similar situation or those who always crossed the border how did you fill-up the part 7 of the N-400 Form when you filed for naturalization??

Thanks.

Edited June 22, 2009 by AntandD

[-B&T- 1]

Thanks a lot Stella and Ant for your replies.I should have made a note on that trip which I did not I was careless I didn't know it was very important.It was like 5 hour trip really short but I guess I have to follow Ant that I should not put 0.I have been trying to remember when and I am not even sure of the month just the year!Is there anything else I could do? Can I call USCIS and ask if its on their computer or not?Maybe they can give me the exact date of that trip! lol

Thank so much guys and God bless.AntandD hope you have a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

[jasminelily 1]

Thanks a lot Stella and Ant for your replies.I should have made a note on that trip which I did not I was careless I didn't know it was very important.It was like 5 hour trip really short but I guess I have to follow Ant that I should not put 0.I have been trying to remember when and I am not even sure of the month just the year!Is there anything else I could do? Can I call USCIS and ask if its on their computer or not?Maybe they can give me the exact date of that trip! lol

Thank so much guys and God bless.AntandD hope you have a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

If it's less than 24 hours, you can put 0. By the way, one way to check for exact date is to try and remember what did you buy by using debit or credit card that day. May be a gas station charge on border cities, may be currency exchange, etc. Looking up credit card or bank statements might help to refresh your memories as long as you remember what year it was, is it summer or winter? Hope that helps!

[-B&T- 1]

If it's less than 24 hours, you can put 0. By the way, one way to check for exact date is to try and remember what did you buy by using debit or credit card that day. May be a gas station charge on border cities, may be currency exchange, etc. Looking up credit card or bank statements might help to refresh your memories as long as you remember what year it was, is it summer or winter? Hope that helps!

Thanks jasminelily.So you think its okay to put 0 then?I can't access our online account with Bank of America anymore we closed our bank account December of last year and switched to Chase Bank I tried to access that account this morning again so I could check the old staments but to no luck.It was 2007 summer I believe.My husband is out of state he is NM working we just discussed this matter over the phone last night so for now I will just try to remember things by myself but when he gets home this weekend were gonna have a long talk about it for sure.Thanks again and CONGRATS on your approval!

[antda 13]

Hi Bituin,

You're welcome for the reply. As for really documenting really short trips, don't worry about it. Heck, once I went over the border for only 1 hour (yes, you read that right) to renew my Canadian passport, and when I came back to the USA, they were like, "That's all? You sure you didn't stay longer?". But nevertheless, they did scan my green card and looked at my expired passport when I came back, so I think it's best that I report it on my N-400, just in case.

And for that I will put (or something along these lines): "February 2009....A trip of 1 hour to Canada to renew my passport".

In your case, for your trip to Mexico, since you mentioned that you don't remember the exact month, but to the best of your ability you remember going sometime in Summer 2007, you should simply put the following on your forms:

"Summer of 2007....A pleasure trip of 5 hours to Mexico".

And that's it. If they ask you any more questions, just explain it during your interview. As well, if you have any other evidence of that trip (photos, receipts, bills, etc.,), that can help too, if asked further.

Again, it would be better to report it, to the best of your ability, than to not report it at all, in my opinion. "Better safe than sorry", right? (lol...especially in dealing with the USCIS here).

As for getting a record of your travels, I think that can be done. However, it might be difficult to do, might take more time, and one might have to pay for these records. As well, some trips might not be recorded correctly, as sometimes travel documents aren't scanned in properly (lol..I've had that happen too, heck once they didn't even ask me for ID...but that's another story...). So really, you don't rely on them getting these records for you. Rather, "let them look it up for themselves in their own USCIS databases", as they are the ones that have the records and want the records in the first place. After all, you paid $670+ for them to process your file...let them do the work of finding out your exact travel dates. Neverthless, do provide a list of travel dates for them (even if it is just an estimate), so at least they can check what you have against what they have, and verify all the travel records accordingly.

Hope this helps too. Good luck on the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant

P.S. Thanks for the well-wishes about my Baby too. I'll keep everyone here on VJ updated about that...4 more weeks to go...oh my gosh...time flies by so quickly...

Thanks a lot Stella and Ant for your replies.I should have made a note on that trip which I did not I was careless I didn't know it was very important.It was like 5 hour trip really short but I guess I have to follow Ant that I should not put 0.I have been trying to remember when and I am not even sure of the month just the year!Is there anything else I could do? Can I call USCIS and ask if its on their computer or not?Maybe they can give me the exact date of that trip! lol

Thank so much guys and God bless.AntandD hope you have a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

[-B&T- 1]

Hi Bituin,

You're welcome for the reply. As for really documenting really short trips, don't worry about it. Heck, once I went over the border for only 1 hour (yes, you read that right) to renew my Canadian passport, and when I came back to the USA, they were like, "That's all? You sure you didn't stay longer?". But nevertheless, they did scan my green card and looked at my expired passport when I came back, so I think it's best that I report it on my N-400, just in case.

And for that I will put (or something along these lines): "February 2009....A trip of 1 hour to Canada to renew my passport".

In your case, for your trip to Mexico, since you mentioned that you don't remember the exact month, but to the best of your ability you remember going sometime in Summer 2007, you should simply put the following on your forms:

"Summer of 2007....A pleasure trip of 5 hours to Mexico".

And that's it. If they ask you any more questions, just explain it during your interview. As well, if you have any other evidence of that trip (photos, receipts, bills, etc.,), that can help too, if asked further.

Again, it would be better to report it, to the best of your ability, than to not report it at all, in my opinion. "Better safe than sorry", right? (lol...especially in dealing with the USCIS here).

As for getting a record of your travels, I think that can be done. However, it might be difficult to do, might take more time, and one might have to pay for these records. As well, some trips might not be recorded correctly, as sometimes travel documents aren't scanned in properly (lol..I've had that happen too, heck once they didn't even ask me for ID...but that's another story...). So really, you don't rely on them getting these records for you. Rather, "let them look it up for themselves in their own USCIS databases", as they are the ones that have the records and want the records in the first place. After all, you paid $670+ for them to process your file...let them do the work of finding out your exact travel dates. Neverthless, do provide a list of travel dates for them (even if it is just an estimate), so at least they can check what you have against what they have, and verify all the travel records accordingly.

Hope this helps too. Good luck on the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant

P.S. Thanks for the well-wishes about my Baby too. I'll keep everyone here on VJ updated about that...4 more weeks to go...oh my gosh...time flies by so quickly...

Thanks so much Ant for the great advice and for giving me idea on how to do it and definitely you are right, better be safe than sorry. Take care always.

[antda 13]

Hi Bituin,

You're welcome...glad to be able to help there...

"Better safe than sorry!", definitely, despite it not being required...

Worst-case they can say, "Why did you write that down when you didn't have to as it was less than 24 hours".

And you can say in reply, "I didn't want to lie to the USCIS and put 0 down, as I want to tell the truth regarding my international travels, no matter how long or short it is...". And that makes you look... (and you can talk about your travels too in a good way, if they do ask and are in a good mood about it)

Lol...I can't wait to explain all about my many "less than 24 hour trips" (about 10-20 since permanent residency) for my N-400....I wonder what they will think there...Useful? Entertaining? Hey, at least I was totally honest with them...

Ant

Thanks so much Ant for the great advice and for giving me idea on how to do it and definitely you are right, better be safe than sorry. Take care always.

[jasminelily 1]

If it's less than 24 hours, you can put 0. By the way, one way to check for exact date is to try and remember what did you buy by using debit or credit card that day. May be a gas station charge on border cities, may be currency exchange, etc. Looking up credit card or bank statements might help to refresh your memories as long as you remember what year it was, is it summer or winter? Hope that helps!

Thanks jasminelily.So you think its okay to put 0 then?I can't access our online account with Bank of America anymore we closed our bank account December of last year and switched to Chase Bank I tried to access that account this morning again so I could check the old staments but to no luck.It was 2007 summer I believe.My husband is out of state he is NM working we just discussed this matter over the phone last night so for now I will just try to remember things by myself but when he gets home this weekend were gonna have a long talk about it for sure.Thanks again and CONGRATS on your approval!

You're welcome! and Thanks! Yes, putting 0 is fine. And to be on the safe side, try finidng out the exact date, if not, then no big deal since they're the one who say only report anything more than 24 hours. Good Luck!