How does leaving the US to visit another country affect the continuous residence requirement for naturalization?
If you leave the US for long periods of time, you can disrupt your continuous residence. If you leave the US for longer than six months but less than one year, it is presumed that you have broken your continuous residence and the burden is on you to prove otherwise. If you leave the US for more than one year, you can safeguard your permanent resident status by applying for a re-entry permit with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office. However, even if you are granted the permit and re-enter the US after a year-long absence, the time you spent in the US prior to leaving will not count towards your continuous residence requirement and you lose that time. If you are considering leaving the country for a long period of time, you should consult an immigration attorney to find out how your absence will impact your status.
Related Questions
- Does the reason behind my residence abroad affect the interruption of the continuous period of residence (for example, if my Finnish employer sent me abroad on an assignment)?
- How does leaving the US to visit another country affect the continuous residence requirement for naturalization?
- What is the continuous residence requirement?
