Questions re Form N-400

[Freyja 1]

Hi, all!

I'm planning to apply for Naturalization in August, and was hoping someone could help me with a few questions regarding Form N-400:

Part 2. Information about you. #2 Your name EXACTLY as it appears on your Permanent Resident card.

My middle name doesn't appear fully on my green card, just the first letter. But I'm assuming I should still write out my middle name, not just a letter?

Part 7. Information about your employment.

I've been a homemaker for the last five years. I'm thinking I'll put N/A in employer, Homemaker as occupation, and no need to supply address? (same as home address, obviously)

Part 8. Time outside the US.

Now I know this is a bit silly, but how did you count the days? Did you include the day of return? (i.e. 10/21-10/25 as 4 or 5 days)

Also, with regards to the passport style photo... Is this the photo that will actually end up in my passport? (I'm a bit vain and have had my share of horrific passport photos so would want to make sure this is a good one...

Thanks in advance for any help!

By the way, anyone else preparing to apply in August?

[Messybrownhair 251]

Hi, all!

I'm planning to apply for Naturalization in August, and was hoping someone could help me with a few questions regarding Form N-400:

Part 2. Information about you. #2 Your name EXACTLY as it appears on your Permanent Resident card.

My middle name doesn't appear fully on my green card, just the first letter. But I'm assuming I should still write out my middle name, not just a letter?

-I wrote the middle letter only.. It needs to be exactly as how it's written on the gc

Part 7. Information about your employment.

I've been a homemaker for the last five years. I'm thinking I'll put N/A in employer, Homemaker as occupation, and no need to supply address? (same as home address, obviously)

- yep sounds good

Part 8. Time outside the US.

Now I know this is a bit silly, but how did you count the days? Did you include the day of return? (i.e. 10/21-10/25 as 4 or 5 days)

- I count that as 4 days..

Also, with regards to the passport style photo... Is this the photo that will actually end up in my passport? (I'm a bit vain and have had my share of horrific passport photos so would want to make sure this is a good one...

- no. Passport applications are separate. Some people say their biometrics photo was used for the naturalization cert and some people say the 2x2 was used for the naturalization cert. not sure, I'll let you know on Friday

Thanks in advance for any help!

By the way, anyone else preparing to apply in August?

[Freyja 1]

Messybrownhair, thanks for your help! Congrats on your recent approval and good luck on your Oath Ceremony on Friday!!

[Turbota 11]

As far as the time you spent on trips outside of the US ....

Any other government document I have seen states that the day you leave the US counts as a full day, and the day you arrive back in the US also counts as a full day ... The time of that day means nothing

[JimmyHou 611]

Hi, all!

I'm planning to apply for Naturalization in August, and was hoping someone could help me with a few questions regarding Form N-400:

Part 2. Information about you. #2 Your name EXACTLY as it appears on your Permanent Resident card.

My middle name doesn't appear fully on my green card, just the first letter. But I'm assuming I should still write out my middle name, not just a letter?

Part 7. Information about your employment.

I've been a homemaker for the last five years. I'm thinking I'll put N/A in employer, Homemaker as occupation, and no need to supply address? (same as home address, obviously)

Part 8. Time outside the US.

Now I know this is a bit silly, but how did you count the days? Did you include the day of return? (i.e. 10/21-10/25 as 4 or 5 days)

Also, with regards to the passport style photo... Is this the photo that will actually end up in my passport? (I'm a bit vain and have had my share of horrific passport photos so would want to make sure this is a good one...

Thanks in advance for any help!

By the way, anyone else preparing to apply in August?

Hi, all!

I'm planning to apply for Naturalization in August, and was hoping someone could help me with a few questions regarding Form N-400:

Part 2. Information about you. #2 Your name EXACTLY as it appears on your Permanent Resident card.

My middle name doesn't appear fully on my green card, just the first letter. But I'm assuming I should still write out my middle name, not just a letter?

-I wrote the middle letter only.. It needs to be exactly as how it's written on the gc

Part 7. Information about your employment.

I've been a homemaker for the last five years. I'm thinking I'll put N/A in employer, Homemaker as occupation, and no need to supply address? (same as home address, obviously)

- yep sounds good

Part 8. Time outside the US.

Now I know this is a bit silly, but how did you count the days? Did you include the day of return? (i.e. 10/21-10/25 as 4 or 5 days)

- I count that as 4 days..

Also, with regards to the passport style photo... Is this the photo that will actually end up in my passport? (I'm a bit vain and have had my share of horrific passport photos so would want to make sure this is a good one...

- no. Passport applications are separate. Some people say their biometrics photo was used for the naturalization cert and some people say the 2x2 was used for the naturalization cert. not sure, I'll let you know on Friday

Thanks in advance for any help!

By the way, anyone else preparing to apply in August?

Only days in which you were not in the US at all count as days outside the US.

If you left on the 21st and returned on the 25th, then there where only 3 whole days when you were outside the US: the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. So you out down 3 days for that trip.

If you left on the 15th and returned on the 17th, then you put down 1 day for that trip.

[Turbota 11]

Only days in which you were not in the US at all count as days outside the US.

If you left on the 15th and returned on the 17th, then you put down 1 day for that trip.

I don't agree with you .... If you left the US anytime on a certain day, that day counts as a day you were not in the US ... It don't make any difference whether you left just before midnight or just after midnight.

Same as returning .... The day you get back to the US counts as a day you were outside of the US. You were still out of the country on that day you returned.

Leave the US anytime on Jan 1 and return anytime on Jan 5 = 5 days out of the country (partial day on the 1st, full day on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and a partial day out of the country on the 5th)

[JimmyHou 611]

I don't agree with you .... If you left the US anytime on a certain day, that day counts as a day you were not in the US ... It don't make any difference whether you left just before midnight or just after midnight.

Same as returning .... The day you get back to the US counts as a day you were outside of the US. You were still out of the country on that day you returned.

Leave the US anytime on Jan 1 and return anytime on Jan 5 = 5 days out of the country (partial day on the 1st, full day on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and a partial day out of the country on the 5th)

Allow me to disagree with your disagreement :-)

The calculation can be confusing, but what I posted wasn't my opinion, it's what USCIS asks for in the Naturalization. Guide and the Policy Manual.

Please see my post above for the correct information.

To reiterate: If you left on the 21st and returned on the 25th, that counts as 3 days out of the country, because you only count whole days (22nd, 23rd, and 24th) spent abroad.

Sources:

1- Please see page 13 of the Naturalization Guide.

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/article/chapter4.pdf

"When counting the total number of days you have been out of the country... partial days spent in the United States count as whole days spent in the United States."

2- Please see Volume 12, Chapter 4 of the USCIS Policy Manual.

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartD-Chapter4.html

"USCIS will count the day that an applicant departs from the United States and the day he or she returns as days of physical presence within the United States for naturalization purposes."

Edited July 30, 2014 by JimmyHou