Naturalization Question Question and Questions >.<

[mobstermobi]

Hi,

I have been a PR for 7 yrs since 2000 and had been living in Singapore from 2000 up to April 2005. I was attending school there and my father (born US citizen) was and still working for a MNC bank in Singapore while mother (PR) is serving as a professor universities both in the States and Singapore. Basically I was not able to stay in the US for family reasons. Between those years I traveled to the States on a yearly basis, thus capping my stay outside the States under a years but longer than 6 six months. My family reports Federal Tax every year and visit families here on a yrly basis.

Now since April 2005, I have not traveled outside and studied at Emory Univ for my B.S. My attorney informed me that I have already satisfied the 30 months continuous residence requirement and I am currently applying for citizenship with the attorney as my representative.

However, I was wondering if USCIS will find fault with my application based on the previous travel records? I mean I was a student and there was nothing within my capable limits to live away from my parents? And my time in the States was restricted to school holiday allowances. Now that my plan is to permanently base in US and continue my medical degree studies and so on and so forth. Will they be particualrly skeptical about my application?

Also, the processing time says it may take up to 16 to 18months to process the application. I thought they just increased the fee to SPEED up processing? I understand a lot of people mailed in their apps before the fee increase, but haven't they thought about and anticipated such tendecies and have formulated a contigent plan??

Thanks for any kind answers to these questions!!!

Regards,

[PraetorianXI]

As far as I know, your absences of more than 6 months and less than 1 year broke your "Continous residency" requirement for Naturalization purposes every time. Unless you had a n-470 filed for you.

And you are not eligible to apply for citizenship yet. You have to follow the "4 years + 1 day" rule after your last entry to the USA.

[mobstermobi]

Thanks for the reply, but the checklist indicated that if we were absent from US for more than 6 months but less than a year will need to submitted 5 years of Tax return transcript to indicate that my family and I maintained a tie with US. My attorney based in Philadelphia is pretty reputable in immigration law. Therefore, I wouldn't doubt the fact that I am eligible.

[PraetorianXI]

Then re-direct your questions to your reputable lawyer. I hope it goes well for you.