Hi everyone,
I’m seeking advice regarding my N-400 naturalization application, which was denied recently. I applied under INA section 319(b), as my spouse is a U.S. citizen employed as a civilian pipefitter for the Department of Defense (DoD) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. His job requires annual temporary duty (TDY) assignments abroad, including multiple deployments to Japan over the past 10 years.
The denial was based on the officer's determination that my spouse didn’t meet the one-year continuous residence requirement overseas. However, TDY assignments are unpredictable and can be cut short or extended based on the nature of the job. I’ve read that under INA 319(b), spouses of U.S. citizens regularly engaged in qualifying overseas employment may be exempt from the continuous residence and physical presence requirements.
Can anyone confirm if my spouse’s role with the DoD qualifies as "qualifying overseas employment" under INA 319(b)? Has anyone faced a similar situation with TDY assignments and successfully received naturalization?
Thank you for your guidance!
