I traveled outside the US for nearly a year with a green card. Does this affect naturalization?
548534
Yes it could... you shouldn't have travel for more than six months, a year is too much if you didn't had a permit, you could even have lost the residence, and  to become a citizen you need to prove that you haven't been out of the US for more than 900 days during the previous five years...
632385
Yes, if you have your green card... after you get it you can travel all you want, the thing is that you shouldn't stay for more than 6 consecutive months out, and never for an entire year unless you ask for permission from the INS... cause if you get a green card is because you want to RESIDE in the US...
416911
Nothing , you just go in and start a new life, Ecuador doesn't car but the US does, they wont give you a green card for at least 10 to 20 years
633324
I takes a few major things:\n\n    * a period of continuous residence and physical presence in the United States;\n    * residence in a particular USCIS District prior to filing;\n    * an ability to read, write, and speak English;\n    * a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government;\n    * good moral character;\n    * attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution; and,\n    * favorable disposition toward the United States. \n\nI became a citizen by means of my father.  The rules have changed I believe since I went through naturalization but I gained my citizenship by showing that my father resided in the US for a period of 7 years after he reached the age of 18.  This was easily done by procuring my father's college transcripts.  Apparently, it's a little easier now for children of Americans.  My father took the oath for me as I was under the age of 18 at the time but the only costs involved maybe amounted to $100.  I now have duel citizenship in Canada and the US.  If you do duel citizenship, you don't give one up when you're 18 btw. . .I'm a college graduate now and never have a received a call from the naturalization office telling me I had to give up any of my rights as a citizen of either country.  My mother is currently petitioning for citizenship and will be taking her test within the next few months.  The cost for hers is again, marginal at best but she's been here under a green card for a number of years and found it would be cheaper to get her citizenship than to continue to pay her greencard every 10 years.  For more information on the whole process you can visit:\n\nhttp://www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/index.htm
1015272
You didn't say what country you are in...it sometimes varies from country to country...Generally speaking though it does not change your immigration status.
187583
Living in the US and being a US citizen either by birth or naturalized.
1036421
First of all, you would have to get your green card first and that can take years.  You would have to prove a lot of information, provide pictures etc.  Then once you receive your temporary green card, you will have to go back after two years and prove that you're still married...then once you get your permanent residency you  have to wait three years...then the naturalization process takes FOREVER.  The BCIS or whatever it's called these days, is extremely unorganized.  If you get divorced after the two  year probation period, that's usually 'ok' but if it's before then, it's usually problematic.  Good luck!  I hope you're not getting married in order to become a naturalized citizen...it's just not worth the agony.
483625
Well this is no small thing dude.Immigration is not such a simple process that you will be given Citizenship in a jiffy.First you have to go to the US on a visitors visa.Find employment there and get a work permit.Then after many years if your record is clean you will be given a Greencard.Some years after the same you will be given citizenship and therefore the right to vote.Hence this is a long process which will take years.
389716
yes...I'm pretty sure to mainain your citizenship, you must spend at least 1/2 of the year here.  For example, if you own a house in another county, you cannot live there year-round, but just 6 months of the year
151974
Will you be renouncing your U.S. citizenship, or will be going temporarily (as an ex-patriot)?
695471
OK,  as far page 22 goes in the naturalization guide, it states: What if I was outside the US for between 6 and 12 months? \nIf you leave the US for more than 6 months, but less than 1 year, you have broken or disrupted your continuous residence.What is messed up about this is that all the time she accumulated prior to her trip,after the date she became a permanent resident, goes down the tubes! However , those eleven months outside now count as time she is re-accumulating back here,since her return! I  take it you guys are married at least three years otherwise she will not be eligible. Let's say she returned today, she can start counting form tomorrow! So when will she be eligible again?\n 2 Years and 1 month from tomorrow's date! Get it!  That's pretty harsh, I know!\n   It is just as  important to keep track of both physical presence and continuous residence. Physical presence involves the total number of days you were outside the US on ALL of your trips. Continuous residence involves the total number of days you were outside the US in a SINGLE TRIP! In all she has to accumulate at least 3 years because she is married to you (A US CITIZEN) In general, do not stay outside of the US for more than 6 months!
1098877
You are free to go to virtually any country, and with a temporary visa get work, and a home.  The biggest stipulation is if you want to change your citizenship.  This would mean you denounce all American citizenship.  Once that is done, you cannot recover it.  You cannot re-obtain American citizenship if you voluntarily give it up.\nAssuming that you do not change citizenship, you would only be entitled to a bare minimum of the countries benefits...unfortunate, but they are not like the US and just give you stuff cause your there.
324579
It depends on whether you've done everything you need to do, and what has made you eligible to apply.  If you are applying through marriage to an American citizen, you can expect to wait 2 1/2 years till you get the permanent green card.\n\nOne thing you must keep in mind: something which gave me a bit of trouble with the process is that I received multiple requests to go to an office to get myself fingerprinted.  Apparently, you need to take in all the forms you receive at the time at which you get fingerprinted, or otherwise things just don't work, and they won't even tell you anything about it.  I did receive my green card after two and a half years (and am now a legal permanent resident), but I had to contact my local state representative to inquire what in the world was delaying the processing of my application.\n\nThe different branches of the BCIS do not communicate with one another (which is a travesty, when you consider that they are supposed to monitor the goings and comings of applicants), and so when you move from one house to another, you need to send forms informing each and every office that is processing different applications for you.  Also, if you get different requests for fingerprinting, take *all* of them to your appointment, and make sure you take receipts, so that you are sure that the agency disseminates your fingerprints among the different offices that are processing different parts of your application.
435245
As a green card holder, you have the right to reside in the US.  You also are allowed to travel anywhere and anytime you want.  The limitations on travel are that you must maintain your residence in the US.  This means you must work here, not work outside the US, pay taxes, and maintain a residence.  If you want to travel, you can generally travel for up to six months without any problems (keeping in mind the other conditions I mentioned earlier).  The only way that travel outside the US would affect your ability to apply for American citizenship is that you have to have a certain amount of physical presence in the US.  I am not sure what those requirements are now, and they are subject to change by the time you area eligible to apply.
147024
It seems not as stated below, but you may want to check with a lawyer\n\nWithholding of removal is in some ways similar to asylum, but it has a higher standard. To qualify for withholding of removal under 8 U.S.C. section 1231(b)(3), the non-citizen must demonstrate that it is more likely than not that he/she would be subject to persecution based on race, religious beliefs, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. Unlike with asylum, an immigrant who is granted relief under withholding of removal is only given a right not to be removed to a specific country. Unlike asylees, non-citizens who are granted withholding of removal do not have the right to apply for a green card. They actually have a final order of removal against them, so if they travel outside the U.S., they will not be allowed to return.
1159302
The purpose of the Green Card is to allow certain foreign nationals the legal status to work and reside in the United States.  If you leave the United States for one year or more, you are considered to have abandoned your status,unless you have received prior permission from the US government in the form of a Travel Permit (Re-Entry Permit).  There are also other requirements you must meet in order to maintain your status.
335219
The average time for applying for Naturalization (N-400) may take 6 months to 2 years, depending mainly on where you have filed your application.