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Hi: I've been a GC holder since 2016, but I worked abroad for two stints (each time under a re-entry permit). I returned to the country a little over 4 years and 6 months ago, so I fall under the example given in section C.2 in the continuous residence chapter of the USCIS policy manual. Today, I comfortably meet the physical and continuous presence tests. I have no charges or convictions in any country, no debts, I've always filed my taxes as resident, etc, etc. I intend to file soon. My GC expires in June, I will hit my 5 years in August, I'll have five years at my current address in September. But my case is fairly simple, I think, apart from my re-entry permit history and how to present those details. I'd like to get the process going and get the two year GC extension letter ASAP. I have a few questions/details that I'm trying to untangle. Address history question: Seems like a silly question but I assume I will list my foreign address and the start date of the lease, which commenced before my statutory period, because that's where I was living. Has that ever been a problem for anybody? Second address history question: While I was out of the country, I did not hold onto a rental in the US. I changed my address via AR-11 to a friend's address, where I could pick up mail and occasionally stay. When I returned, I spent 6 weeks across 3 airbnbs while I found an apartment. (I am still in that apartment today.) That means I have 6 weeks between my foreign rental and my new US rental. Should I leave a gap and explain later in the N400 form? Should I list the airbnbs (and explain later in the N400)? Should I list the AR-11 address? Obviously I did not update the AR-11 until I actually had new place. Travel question: I travel about 8-10 weeks of the year, often back home (my parents are aging), but also 1-2 times a year on a work trip to Europe. I never stay more than 2-3 weeks at a time, and when I'm home I stay in family accommodation. Often I have a return ticket with the origin in my home country, leaving a danging return for some time in the future. Since I spend 80% of my time in the US, I assume this travel pattern is not problematic? Second travel question: obviously they know my border crossings and I've requested a list of my border crossings from CBP also. Should I collate this history, flight receipts, etc? Or is this only useful for people who get very close to the physical/continuous red lines? Statutory period question: I expect the most recent re-entry permit is the only one relevant to my situation, since it partially covers my statutory period. But will they reach back deeper into my history? I received my GC in 2016 and then took a job abroad 5 months later; it's genuinely an accident of history, for a one-of-a-kind organization. I just wonder if somebody might question this, whether they're entitled to question it, and how to rebut. I may have more questions as I dig into this process. Appreciate any pointers and experiences folks may share!

Hi! I'm looking for information around the 4-years-plus-1-day timer before applying for citizenship after a break in residency. I'm over a year away from applying, I'm just lining myself up to make sure I have what I need. I have a green card, granted in June 2016. Soon after I received that, I took a job I couldn't pass up outside of the US. I definitely broke continuity on my residency (timeline below) but I've been unambiguously employed and living in the US since I returned two and a half years ago. Although I typically have a trip abroad once every couple of months, either for work or to visit family, I've accrued most of the time required to pass the physical presence test already. Technically I fall into the 4-years-plus-1-day category because I've resumed my residency, but I'm interested in the details therein. I gather that they still actually review the full 5 years prior to the application, but I was out completely in the year prior to returning so I gather that's a bad approach. Is that true? I don't own property nor was I working for a US organization. I did maintain bank accounts, I paid taxes (including California state, so as to not trigger any marks for becoming "non-resident"), and I had my mail directed to a friend's house the entire time I was out. I've heard also that waiting until 4-years-plus-6-months is a better approach. Do folks have experience with their application in either case? Pointers welcome. My timeline: November 2016: I left the US to start that job. I applied for a re-entry permit ahead of time. The re-entry permit arrived at the embassy abroad, expiry date set to March 2019. I returned to the US 5 times in this period, all short trips, but never more than six months apart. March 2019: I returned to the US to work for 6 months. Aside from two business trips abroad, I was in the US until September 2019. October 2019: I took on another job abroad, and again I applied for a re-entry permit ahead of time. The re-entry permit was granted with an end date of September 2021. Then, of course, COVID. I didn't travel until I was fully vaccinated in July 2021, so continuity was unambiguously broken. I understand that COVID is not a consideration for the application. August 2021: I returned to the US full-time.