Please i need help with trip 182 days out of usa

[Dachis 45]

Here is my story. I'm applying for citizenship and have interview scheduled in september. I have everything clean in aplication except one trip abroad which lasted 182 days. When i calculate monthly it comes out 5 month and 29 days. I have two more trips but short ones. If anyone had the same situation and what should i expect at interview? I'm taking tax returns and bank statement in case IO gets tough on me. Any help, suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you 

[Going through 5,671]

8 minutes ago, Dachis said:

Here is my story. I'm applying for citizenship and have interview scheduled in september. I have everything clean in aplication except one trip abroad which lasted 182 days. When i calculate monthly it comes out 5 month and 29 days. I have two more trips but short ones. If anyone had the same situation and what should i expect at interview? I'm taking tax returns and bank statement in case IO gets tough on me. Any help, suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you 

He or she will probably just ask why you were out of the country for so long on one trip.  Were the other two trips during the same 12-month period?  How long were those?

[Dachis 45]

47 minutes ago, Going through said:

He or she will probably just ask why you were out of the country for so long on one trip.  Were the other two trips during the same 12-month period?  How long were those?

Thanks for reply. Means a lot.

No, 182 days trip happened in 2013. Then i had 2 month trip in 2014 and 3 month trip in 2016. 

[Going through 5,671]

7 hours ago, Dachis said:

Thanks for reply. Means a lot.

No, 182 days trip happened in 2013. Then i had 2 month trip in 2014 and 3 month trip in 2016. 

I think you won't have much to worry about.  You haven't travelled outside of the US frequently over the past 5 years, so your total days outside of the country is still relatively small.  Just be prepared for the possibility of the IO asking why you were gone for almost 6 months on the 2013 trip.

[Dachis 45]

11 minutes ago, Going through said:

I think you won't have much to worry about.  You haven't travelled outside of the US frequently over the past 5 years, so your total days outside of the country is still relatively small.  Just be prepared for the possibility of the IO asking why you were gone for almost 6 months on the 2013 trip.

Thanks a lot for reply. Huge appreciation!!!

[iamwhatiam80 92]

Please go through this manual from USCIS. You have a absence of more than 181 days. You may get additional questioning/scrutiny from the IO. Be well prepared. All the best!!!!

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartD-Chapter3.html

[Dachis 45]

6 hours ago, iamwhatiam80 said:

Please go through this manual from USCIS. You have a absence of more than 181 days. You may get additional questioning/scrutiny from the IO. Be well prepared. All the best!!!!

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartD-Chapter3.html

Thanks for heads-up. I'm getting ready as much evidence/supporting documents as possible, to prove IO otherwise in case he/she tries to dig deeper but hope it won't come to that point. My interview is scheduled end of september and will post afterwards. 

 Meantime if anybody had similiar situation and had interview, i'd love to get some help and tips. Thanks again

Edited August 30, 2017 by Dachis

[Dachis 45]

Thanks guys for tips and advices. I had my interview on 9/30 and i'm citizen now. 

 IO didn't give me hard time about one trip which lasted exactly 182 days.She told me they don't have problem with it as long as it just one trip( over 6 month) and i had to write down explanation what was the reason for that trip. My application was based on 5 year residency. Hope my post helps others too. Good luck everyone.