living outside USA

[aslam khan 5]

Hi All,

I enter Usa on Dec 13 2015 and get my green card after 40 days. On july 18 2016 i return back to Pakistan, spending almost 7 months in USA. i am planning to return usa on Jan 10, 2017 to avoid my six months outside stay of USA. Is that fine.

[Dashinka 24,494]

Are you planning on staying in the US upon your return, or just come back for a short visit? If staying, you should have little issue, but if only coming back for a short period may cause issues in the future related to actually being a US resident.

[aslam khan 5]

Thanks for reply,

i am coming back for short trip like 10 days but next time i am planning to stay more than six months. for three year naturalization process i need to stay 18 months in USA right.

Thanks for help

[A'n'L 735]

It's not that easy. You need to prove that the US is your primary residence, which it doesn't sound like it is?

[Anitafeliz 1,133]

Why do you care about citizenship if you have ties to Pakistan more over than the US??

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

This trip, you should have no problems.

However, if you continue to travel in this sort of patters the yes, you will, because as a greencard holder you are supposed to be resident in the USA, and they will question that if you spend almost as much time abroad than you do in the USA.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

you will need to spend 3 years in US (if married to US citizen) total 3 years anytime spent outside is deducted from the number of months here

[aslam khan 5]

you will need to spend 3 years in US (if married to US citizen) total 3 years anytime spent outside is deducted from the number of months here

thanks for reply.

doesnot the rule say to spend half of three year, being married to US citizen. (i.e. eighteen months)

i am following the naturalization requirement as per law then why they question me?

[Dashinka 24,494]

thanks for reply.

doesnot the rule say to spend half of three year, being married to US citizen. (i.e. eighteen months)

i am following the naturalization requirement as per law then why they question me?

I believe it is 3 years accumulated after marriage to a US citizen which means you will need to show at least three years of residency before you can even apply. Any time spent outside of the US even for short vacations has to be made up so-to-speak. It seems like you are using the GC more like a multi-entry visa and as I mentioned in my first response and others have stated, you will run into problems in the future as you continue your travels.

[Anitafeliz 1,133]

here us the requirements....

https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/naturalization-spouses-us-citizens

[Unlockable 7,314]

thanks for reply.

doesnot the rule say to spend half of three year, being married to US citizen. (i.e. eighteen months)

i am following the naturalization requirement as per law then why they question me?

It is not just being married to a US citizen but you also have to reside INSIDE the US for 3 years. Not wait for 3 years to pass. For example, if you continue stay in your country and only return to the US for 1 month in 2016, 2017, and 2018, then that means in three years you would still NOT be eligible for citizenship because you would only have a total of 3 MONTHS INSIDE the US.

Also, the way you are planning on returning to the US for short visit will put you at risk of losing your green card. As a permanent resident you are required to live inside the US.

[gregcrs2 1,778]

Reading the link above:

You have to be physically present in the USA for 18 months out of 36 months.

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

Reading the link above:

You have to be physically present in the USA for 18 months out of 36 months.

The link to the USCIS website does indeed state that. And this is the first thread where I've ever read advice that you have to spend extra time beyond 3 years to make up for any periods of time spent outside of the U.S.

[caliliving 606]

they want to make sure your primary residence is the USA. where are you working? obviously not in the USA. if you were say a nurse in the usa and worked 6 - 8 months a year and traveled the rest i am sure that is different. but sounds like you are living abroad and 'vacationing' in the usa to do the minimum time just to get your citizenship. it doesnt work that way and when you file taxes they will see where you are spending/working most of the time. this is why they make the rule because people do just get a greencard and want to live in their country and become USC to give it to their future children ect. they are smart

[Shauneg 762]

I think your plan is fantastic.