two years to go on this GC, we hear stories about traveling, and not to!

[Robert&Karen 264]

Karen got her GC and we are counting the days until we can adjust after the initial two years. A neighbor who is an immigrant told us to NOT travel overseas in this time. He said that if we want another GC in 2 years or citizenship in 3, then any time spent out of the country between now and then delays the process that much again. So going to the UK a month at a time twice a year for 3 years means that citizenship is going to be delayed six months.

I don't think this is true, I think we can travel, but not move, overseas. Does anyone know about this? Is this story patently false or maybe other circumstances can delay GC or USC processing when you leave the USA?

I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[Dana-Mića 51]

I'm pretty sure the 6 months in 3 years should be okay, but check with someone who is more qualified on marriage based citizenship. I think they look more at the amount of time taken at once than in the whole amount of time.

[JoannaV 174]

As far as removing conditions after 2 years, this is irrelevant.

As for citizenship, there is a certain requirement. You have to have been physically present in the US for at least 18 months in the past 3 years, and not have been out of the US for more than 6 months at a time. So you'd be fine to take those vacations :-)

Edited March 9, 2012 by JoannaV

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Karen got her GC and we are counting the days until we can adjust after the initial two years. A neighbor who is an immigrant told us to NOT travel overseas in this time. He said that if we want another GC in 2 years or citizenship in 3, then any time spent out of the country between now and then delays the process that much again. So going to the UK a month at a time twice a year for 3 years means that citizenship is going to be delayed six months.

I don't think this is true, I think we can travel, but not move, overseas. Does anyone know about this? Is this story patently false or maybe other circumstances can delay GC or USC processing when you leave the USA?

I'd rather be safe than sorry.

You can travel all you want. Stays outside the US for more than 6 months but less than one year could require you to show that you have maintained US residency. Less than 6 months no problem

During my wifes conditional period she had 4 trips to Ukraine of 2 months, 3 weeks, 1 month, 3 weeks. We made dozens of short trips to Canada (we live right at the border 1 hour from Montreal) Never a questioned asked and she just got her citizenship in the minimum 3 year period. Your neighbor is mistaken.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Mistaken?

That's putting it in very gentle terms.

No Christmas card for that neighbor this time. Halloween . . . however, he deserves something special . . . .

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

One thing to remember is that there are no additional privileges received with the "non-conditional" green card regarding travel or stays outside the US. She can do anything with a conditional green card that she can do with an unconditional green card.

Her status and restrictions are identical

[Robert&Karen 264]

We applied for SS cards for the kids today, the SS clerk saw that the cards were 2-year conditional and did not think she could issue cards. About an hour later we got the approval to do the cards.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

We applied for SS cards for the kids today, the SS clerk saw that the cards were 2-year conditional and did not think she could issue cards. About an hour later we got the approval to do the cards.

Social Security is the WORST for training its clerks and they continually make up answers when they do not know what to do. Good thing you stuck it out until you hacked through the untrained staff. What a joke!

We had no trouble when Alla went and none with Pasha. (good day at SS) When I took Sergey (with his green card, repeat WITH HIS GREEN CARD) the effin' moron looked at his GREEN CARD, looked at his VERMONT drivers license and looked at his passport, then after studying all of that announced that Sergey "needed a new visa as this one is expired" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #######!!!!!!!! Obviously this genius has NO CLUE what to do yet instead of calling a supervisor and saying "Hey, Bill, I never had one of these what do I do?" NO. He makes something up out of whole cloth...thin air!

My response was "GET YOUR SUPERVISOR HERE NOW!"