Moving countries after naturalization.

[edsotherhalf 1]

 Little background. I am Canadian but a US Green card holder since 2010. I have lived in the US with my USCitizen spouse ever since.  I was just going to keep renewing my green card and had no intention of becoming a Citizen. Then in October 2018 my husband died of a massive heart attack. My world then crashed and seems to continue to go downhill. I went to Social Security to report his death and filed to receive the survivors benefit. I was told no as I was still working and made too much money but to come back when I retire. I had decided because I had no support here (my entire family including kids and grandkids all still live in Canada) I just wanted to move home. When I told social security that I was told I may run into problems with just being a Permanent Resident and that I would do better with Citizenship. I phoned immigration and was told that if Under Permanent Resident status I could go to Canada but have to come back every six months and maintain a residence and employment. Well #######! I almost had my house sold and notice in at work. So now I have all the forms filled out for naturalization and will be sending in within next few days. I now have to find out if allowed to travel back to Canada to visit during process and was told the timeline is 14-18 months!! Anyone else under similar situation?

[payxibka 10,045]

9 minutes ago, edsotherhalf said:

 Little background. I am Canadian but a US Green card holder since 2010. I have lived in the US with my USCitizen spouse ever since.  I was just going to keep renewing my green card and had no intention of becoming a Citizen. Then in October 2018 my husband died of a massive heart attack. My world then crashed and seems to continue to go downhill. I went to Social Security to report his death and filed to receive the survivors benefit. I was told no as I was still working and made too much money but to come back when I retire. I had decided because I had no support here (my entire family including kids and grandkids all still live in Canada) I just wanted to move home. When I told social security that I was told I may run into problems with just being a Permanent Resident and that I would do better with Citizenship. I phoned immigration and was told that if Under Permanent Resident status I could go to Canada but have to come back every six months and maintain a residence and employment. Well #######! I almost had my house sold and notice in at work. So now I have all the forms filled out for naturalization and will be sending in within next few days. I now have to find out if allowed to travel back to Canada to visit during process and was told the timeline is 14-18 months!! Anyone else under similar situation?

Just because you have an active application doesn't mean you stop living your life.  When the time comes for the interview you update your application with time out of country 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

5 hours ago, edsotherhalf said:

 Little background. I am Canadian but a US Green card holder since 2010. I have lived in the US with my USCitizen spouse ever since.  I was just going to keep renewing my green card and had no intention of becoming a Citizen. Then in October 2018 my husband died of a massive heart attack. My world then crashed and seems to continue to go downhill. I went to Social Security to report his death and filed to receive the survivors benefit. I was told no as I was still working and made too much money but to come back when I retire. I had decided because I had no support here (my entire family including kids and grandkids all still live in Canada) I just wanted to move home. When I told social security that I was told I may run into problems with just being a Permanent Resident and that I would do better with Citizenship. I phoned immigration and was told that if Under Permanent Resident status I could go to Canada but have to come back every six months and maintain a residence and employment. Well #######! I almost had my house sold and notice in at work. So now I have all the forms filled out for naturalization and will be sending in within next few days. I now have to find out if allowed to travel back to Canada to visit during process and was told the timeline is 14-18 months!! Anyone else under similar situation?

You can apply for a travel document and stay out for up to two years while this is being processed.  Or use the travel document to travel back and forth unquestioned during that period of time.