Time outside US

[Carrie1978 2]

I've read all over and can't figure this one out for sure. We will file next year for Citizenship based on marriage (so 3 years). I read in the paperwork something about not being outside of the US for the 18 months prior to filing. Does this mean that we can't travel back to Morocco at all (even for a 2 week vacation), or is it just that we can't be outside the US longer than a certain amount of time? We want to make a trip home for holiday, but we don't want to take the chance of being denied for leaving within the 18 month period. Any help please?

So far in the past two years the total time outside the US has been approximately 2 months (a lil less); if that helps any.

[v333k 59]

I've read all over and can't figure this one out for sure. We will file next year for Citizenship based on marriage (so 3 years). I read in the paperwork something about not being outside of the US for the 18 months prior to filing. Does this mean that we can't travel back to Morocco at all (even for a 2 week vacation), or is it just that we can't be outside the US longer than a certain amount of time? We want to make a trip home for holiday, but we don't want to take the chance of being denied for leaving within the 18 month period. Any help please?

So far in the past two years the total time outside the US has been approximately 2 months (a lil less); if that helps any.

Hi,

You misunderstood the meaning of the 18 months

First rule: continuous presence - this rule requires LPRs to have satisfied living in the US and not traveling outside the US for periods that are 6 months or longer.

second rule: physical presence - when applying for citizenship, you must have lived a minimum of 18 months out of the 36 months (3 years) in the US to be eligible.

Read the naturalization guide which has all this explained in it http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf

You can travel wherever you want as long as you maintain these two rules.

HTH

[Carrie1978 2]

Thanks! I read it literally...so I thought that must be crazy that we can't leave the US...but then I remembered it is the US and well they have crazy rules THanks for the clarification! My husband will be soooo excited that he can travel home! Yeah!!!