How much time can I spend overseas after submitting N400?

[N400NYC 380]

(Up front: I am aware of the continuous residence and physical presence rules. My questions relate more to "optics")

 

I became engaged earlier this year. I applied for citizenship in April and in NYC have a long wait ahead of me - 12 months at best for an interview. I am visiting my fiance overseas every 6-8 weeks for 2 week visits at a time but I really want to stay longer as I am suffering emotionally with this forced geographical separation. During the 5 years of my citizenship eligibility period I have never been outside of the USA for more than 3 weeks and have lived at the same address and had the same employer throughout. I have some questions:

 

Time Overseas

1) Would a plan of alternate months be problematic in any way for my citizenship application? I would visit my fiance overseas for 1 month and then return to NYC for one month (in order to work). And then repeat the pattern until I get citizenship. 

 

2) What about if I decide to visit him for a longer period, say 2-3 months? And then return to an alternating pattern as described in #1. Would that be okay?

 

USA Residence

3) Also, in order to make this happen I am considering moving out of my apartment (where I live alone) into share accommodation in order to cut costs. I would stay within the same field office district. Would that be okay?

 

USA Employment

4) And I'd also have to likely change positions within my organization - not change employers, just positions - to move from salaried employment to per-diem employment (pad only for the hours I work). Would that be okay as well?

 

The short story is I am suffering emotionally and the idea of another 12 months of this is torturous. So I am trying to find some type of compromise plan that allows me to keep my citizenship application intact but also spend more time with my fiance overseas while I am waiting.

 

Any feedback/advice/guidance would be most appreciated. 

 

[N400NYC 380]

@mrock27 - you might have some good suggestions/feedback for me! 

[Amadia 711]

On 6/22/2019 at 12:12 PM, N400NYC said:

(Up front: I am aware of the continuous residence and physical presence rules. My questions relate more to "optics")

 

I became engaged earlier this year. I applied for citizenship in April and in NYC have a long wait ahead of me - 12 months at best for an interview. I am visiting my fiance overseas every 6-8 weeks for 2 week visits at a time but I really want to stay longer as I am suffering emotionally with this forced geographical separation. During the 5 years of my citizenship eligibility period I have never been outside of the USA for more than 3 weeks and have lived at the same address and had the same employer throughout. I have some questions:

 

Time Overseas

1) Would a plan of alternate months be problematic in any way for my citizenship application? I would visit my fiance overseas for 1 month and then return to NYC for one month (in order to work). And then repeat the pattern until I get citizenship. Alternate travel plans are fine, as long as they do not accumulate to a total of six months.

 

2) What about if I decide to visit him for a longer period, say 2-3 months? And then return to an alternating pattern as described in #1. Would that be okay? See my answer to Question 1.

 

USA Residence

3) Also, in order to make this happen I am considering moving out of my apartment (where I live alone) into share accommodation in order to cut costs. I would stay within the same field office district. Would that be okay? Yes. Any address change must be sent to ensure mailing of your status updates come to your correct address.

 

USA Employment

4) And I'd also have to likely change positions within my organization - not change employers, just positions - to move from salaried employment to per-diem employment (pad only for the hours I work). Would that be okay as well? I don't see why this would pose an issue.

 

The short story is I am suffering emotionally and the idea of another 12 months of this is torturous. So I am trying to find some type of compromise plan that allows me to keep my citizenship application intact but also spend more time with my fiance overseas while I am waiting.

 

Any feedback/advice/guidance would be most appreciated. 

 

Have you done biometrics appointment for your N400 already? If not, you wouldn't want to be outside of the USA with a biometrics appointment.

[N400NYC 380]

1 hour ago, Amadia said:

Have you done biometrics appointment for your N400 already? If not, you wouldn't want to be outside of the USA with a biometrics appointment.

Thanks a lot for your responses!

 

Yes, I have done biometrics (April). Estimated case completion is April 2020 but NYC is a mess so who knows.

 

Regarding the 6 months factor - do you mean, be careful not to accumulate more than 6 months overseas in total in a calendar year (even if broken up in different trips)? Or is the "look back period" a rolling one - for example not more than 6 months overseas between June 2019 and June 2020?

Edited June 23, 2019 by N400NYC

[Amadia 711]

3 hours ago, N400NYC said:

be careful not to accumulate more than 6 months overseas in total in a calendar year (even if broken up in different trips)

^^^ This, so yes.