I have been in process for my citizenship for the past 6 months and every inquiry as to when I will ge my interview has only yielded the answer "Your application is still in process". Now, I have already gotten my fingerprints done (I believe back in August) and still no word as to when I will get my interview. I have to be in Spain in February for a research grant trip and I have gotten mixed answers to if I can leave the country during the citizenship process. There's absolutely no way I can miss this trip so if worse comes to worse and I still don't have my citizenship by then (I do, however have permanent resident status), can I still leave the country?
Someone please help!
2007-01-13 06:50:40 · 7 answers · asked by MANC 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
Lots of misinformation in the answers above...
Generally, yes, you may leave the US during the citizenship filing process. You must be in the US at the time of naturalization. Also, you must have met all time requirements, including, at least three-months as a resident in the Service District in which you have applied; Continuous Residence requirements (no trips outside the US longer than 6 months in duration); and Physical Presence requirements.
Specific requirements are dependent upon your exact circumstances. See the following guide:
http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf
2007-01-13 09:49:57 · answer #1 · answered by Curious1usa 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are free to come and go as you please, so long as you are not out of the USA for 12 months at a stretch. Your issue will be knowing about an interview date and being able to get back in time. Can you arrange for someone to watch your mail? Is it feasible to fly back for the interview? If you can answer yes to both questions, then make the appropriate arrangements and go.
2007-01-13 15:24:48 · answer #2 · answered by skip 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you have your green card then there is no reason that you can't leave the country, as long as it's not more than a few weeks. My friend flew home to the Dominican Republic several times while her citizenship application was being processed.
2007-01-13 15:03:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
yes i was in your same shoes, you can leave but only for 6 months or less. you HAVE to be back in the US before that 6 months. you can go anywhere you like and come back in the US within that time and leave even a day of entering the US but you wouldn't want to be out of US for even a day more than 6 months.
my husband was in UK and i would go and stay with him, but back every 5 months, and now i am a citizen with my husband as a permanent resident.
2007-01-13 18:57:40 · answer #4 · answered by naturalized 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes you can leave the country if you in the prosses of getting your citizenship your best bet is call the INS talk to some one there explain your sitiuation and i'm sure something can be done
2007-01-13 15:08:59 · answer #5 · answered by susanne b 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if they havent taken away your green card, and they didnt tell you when youll have an interview, your screwed kind of. after fingerprints its gonna take a while till they schedule the interview but if you got your green card still go for it fly but make sure youll know the date for the interview. my buddy is in the same situation havent got a interview but he left to poland, but hes gonna be back before the interview
2007-01-13 15:02:23 · answer #6 · answered by ctcougar360 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i don't think its a good idea to leave in the middle of any sort of process with immigration -- but that's just me and i get paranoid. but if you absolutely HAVE to go -- then you have to. i would put a call in to your local congress person and let them know that you are being jerked around by ICE and see if they can assist in the matter.
2007-01-13 14:56:21 · answer #7 · answered by curious_One 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋