Leaving the US for extended time with a Green Card
Dec 20th 2008, 3:18 pm
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Bouncing between Canada and US
Posts: 2,512
Re: Leaving the US for extended time with a Green Card
One can never tell what the future will throw at one. If you take US citizenship, and have to leave for an unknown amount of time to take care of a sick relative, for example, or a work placement (since I became a USC my boss is already talking about me doing an extended stint in Slough, Romania, India and China, maybe totaling a year), then you can do so without any fear of being unable to return the the US. If you are an LPR, and a planned stay of nine months turns into an unplanned stay of a year or more your road to citizenship just got a lot longer.
That's not WHY I took US citizenship: I definitely plan to base my life in the US for the indefinite future, but it is a benefit, and gives me more flexibility to travel.
That's not WHY I took US citizenship: I definitely plan to base my life in the US for the indefinite future, but it is a benefit, and gives me more flexibility to travel.
Dec 20th 2008, 7:03 pm
#17
MODERATOR
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 58,687
Re: Leaving the US for extended time with a Green Card
An single absence from the US of 6+ months stops the naturalization clock. An single absence from the US for 1+ year resets the clock. It's all in the Guide to Naturalization... so I'm not sure why this should suddenly come as a surprise. It's in the section under "continuous residence".
Ian
Ian
Rene
Dec 21st 2008, 1:09 am
#18
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 16,266
Re: Leaving the US for extended time with a Green Card
Please don't make such general statements -- they are often misleading. The OP does not give anywhere detail to make such a broad generalization.
Before posting this, I went to the law to confirm my memory and my memory was correct. FWIW, the law is available via the www.uscis.website.
