travel while waiting for interview

[PaulFox 0]

Hi Everyone,

My wife will apply for citizenship based on marriage next week. If the process doesn't get all the way done before september, when we need to travel out of the country (for 5 months) we planned on writing and asking for the interview/oath to be held when we get back. Are there restrictions on traveling out of the country while the N-400 is in process? She has a 10 year green card.

thank you

[v333k 59]

Hi Everyone,

My wife will apply for citizenship based on marriage next week. If the process doesn't get all the way done before september, when we need to travel out of the country (for 5 months) we planned on writing and asking for the interview/oath to be held when we get back. Are there restrictions on traveling out of the country while the N-400 is in process? She has a 10 year green card.

thank you

I am not sure about requesting such a thing, but most probably USCIS will not accept such a letter and will consider you withdrawing your application which means you will lose your application fee.

As a LPR, the longest a person can travel is 6 months without any additional work. If a LPR is traveling for longer than 6 months, then they need to apply for a reentry permit. There are two things you need to keep in mind which are continuous residence and physical presence. If those are maintained, then she should be good to go.

Most applicants are usually done within 5 months but that is not a guarantee.

[warlord 73]

I am not sure about requesting such a thing, but most probably USCIS will not accept such a letter and will consider you withdrawing your application which means you will lose your application fee.

As a LPR, the longest a person can travel is 6 months without any additional work. If a LPR is traveling for longer than 6 months, then they need to apply for a reentry permit. There are two things you need to keep in mind which are continuous residence and physical presence. If those are maintained, then she should be good to go.

Most applicants are usually done within 5 months but that is not a guarantee.

Also remember you need to still maintain US residency and satisfy the amount of time present in the US. 5 months is a long time, and if you've made several long trips like that recently, that won't look too good in your interview.

As for postponing it, you should never request to postpone either the interview or the oath unless it's a serious reason. Trips are not considered a serious reason and most people will say you should delay the trip. You won't get your interview/oath immediatly when you return. You get it when they decide you will get it again. Some wait several months, others have waited years. It will all depend on a) if you get lost in the system when they put you back, b) how busy your jurisdiction is, c) how many 1000's of people now bumped you out of the queue etc.

If you do decide to postpone it, don't be expecting to get it anytime soon when you arrive back. Be prepared to wait and wait and wait. Some have been lucky to get thair oath reschedualed in a short period of time, but most find themselves wishing they had never postponed it.

So make sure that this trip is really that mandatory that you need to leave and go through that unknown wait...

[v333k 59]

Also remember you need to still maintain US residency and satisfy the amount of time present in the US. 5 months is a long time, and if you've made several long trips like that recently, that won't look too good in your interview.

As for postponing it, you should never request to postpone either the interview or the oath unless it's a serious reason. Trips are not considered a serious reason and most people will say you should delay the trip. You won't get your interview/oath immediatly when you return. You get it when they decide you will get it again. Some wait several months, others have waited years. It will all depend on a) if you get lost in the system when they put you back, b) how busy your jurisdiction is, c) how many 1000's of people now bumped you out of the queue etc.

If you do decide to postpone it, don't be expecting to get it anytime soon when you arrive back. Be prepared to wait and wait and wait. Some have been lucky to get thair oath reschedualed in a short period of time, but most find themselves wishing they had never postponed it.

So make sure that this trip is really that mandatory that you need to leave and go through that unknown wait...

very well said

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

For the sake of God, a Reentry Permit is required (and only useful) by absences from 1 to 2 years.

Your wife can travel until she has to turn in her Green Card, which happens at the Oath Ceremony. Thereafter she'll need a US passport in order to leave the USA.

It's quite possible that she's done with it all by September, but if you know you want to leave for 5 months, I suggest you file the N-400 when you come back. You have all the time in the world and this way don't have to hope that they accept your request to delay the oath ceremony for such a long time.

I myself plan on going on a 1-week vacation in August, and will time my own application accordingly. What difference does it make if I become a citizen on September 12, October 13, or November 14? What difference does it make if your wife becomes a USC before your trip or after?

[NickD 203]

Kicking around with my step-daughter right now whether we should send in her application, with her part time job, college semester coming up, missing classes. Sure in the hell can't make a mutual agreed upon appointment with the USCIS, and if you miss one can lead to excessive delays or they just forget about you. I call these times, the twilight zone time where your entire life is based on walking out to your mail box.

That twilight starts all over again after you get that certificate, particularly with your US passport that you now have to have. See they are doing a little better now, but was taking them over four months even with expedient service.

Daughter wants to maintain her 4.0 GPA, maybe we will just wait another couple of years.