Continuous Residence

Continuous residence means that you must live in the United States as a permanent resident for a certain period of time. Most people must be permanent residents in continuous residence for five years (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen) before they can begin the naturalization process.

The date you became a permanent resident (usually the date on your
Permanent Resident Card) is the date your five years begins. If you leave the United States for a long period of time, usually six months or more, you may break your continuous residence.

If you leave the United States for one year or longer, you may be able to return if you have a re-entry permit. You should apply for this re-entry permit before you depart the United States. See page 17 for information on how to apply for a re-entry permit. In most cases, none of the time you were in the United States before you left the country will count toward your time in continuous residence. This means that you will need to begin your continuous residence again after you return to the United States, and you may have to wait up to four years and one day before you can apply for naturalization.

Additionally, if you must leave the United States for certain employment purposes, you may need to file Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes, in order to preserve your status as a permanent resident in order to pursue naturalization.

Be aware that absences from the United States while your naturalization application is pending could cause problems with your eligibility, especially if you accept employment abroad.