To file for citizenship to the United States, you must be physically and continuously present for 5 years.
You must be physically present for 2 ½ years and continuously present for 5 years.
A trip abroad for less than 6 months will not interrupt continuous presence.
A trip abroad between 6 to 12 months might interrupt continuous presence.
A trip abroad for over a year will interrupt continuous presence.
Once you interrupt that continuous presence, you will have to re-accumulate that time once you come back into the United States and then demonstrate that you have been continuously present and physically present in order to be eligible for citizenship.
When United States immigration authorities provide permission to foreign nationals holding a nonimmigrant visa in the U.S. to change status to another nonimmigrant category while in the U.S. that constitutes a Change of Status. After temporarily entering the United States for a specific purpose such as business, study, temporary employment… Read More
In general, a noncitizen who wishes to temporarily enter the United States must first obtain a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, such as a visitor visa. This type of visa allows said noncitizen to enter on a short-term basis for business, tourism or a combination of both. But not… Read More
If immigration authorities have denied you a visa or other immigration benefit, you may be able to resolve the problem by applying for an I-601 waiver. Otherwise known as an Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, Form I-601 allows certain immigration applicants to apply for a visa, an adjustment… Read More
