Instructions For N-470, Applicationto Preserve Residence For Naturalization Purposes
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5OMB No. 1615-0056
Instructions for N-470, Application to Preserve
Department of Homeland Security
Residence for Naturalization Purposes
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Instructions
Please read these instructions carefully to properly complete this form. If you need more space to complete an answer, use a
separate sheet(s) of paper. Write your name and Alien Registration Number (A Number), if any, at the top of each sheet of
paper and indicate the section and number of the item to which the answer refers.
U.S. corporation or as a member of the U.S. military. For
What Is the Purpose of This Form?
additional information, call our National Customer Service
Center at 1-800-375-5283 or visit our Internet Web site at
Use Form N-470 to preserve your lawful permanent resident
status for naturalization purposes.
In certain limited situations, a person may be able to preserve
When Should I Use Form N-470?
residency, previously accumulated for naturalization purposes,
even though he or she may be residing outside the United
Generally, applicants for naturalization must reside in the
States for longer than 1 year. Thus the time spent abroad may
United States for 5 years (3 years if qualifying under the
be counted toward the residency requirement.
citizen-spouse exemption) immediately preceding the date of
filing an application for naturalization. Additionally,
These cases involve persons employed in specific jobs in the
naturalization applicants are required to have been physically
United States government and private sector as well as
present in the United States for at least 30 months of those 5
religious organizations.
years (18 months if eligible under the citizen-spouse
exemption).
To obtain approval to preserve residency, such permanent
residents must file a Form N-470 application before departing
Permanent residents who remain outside the United States for
from the United States.
more than 1 uninterrupted year will disrupt their naturalization
residence requirement, unless they are the beneficiaries of an
The regulations are different for religious workers proceeding
approved Form N-470.
abroad to perform religious duties. Religious workers may
apply before or after departure, or after return to the United
You should use Form N-470 if you are a lawful permanent
States. They are not required to have lived in the United
resident (permanent resident) who will be absent from the
States for a specific period of time prior to filing Form N-470.
United States for more than one year due to qualifying
employment and you want to preserve your residence for
Filing a Form N-470 does not relieve a permanent resident
naturalization purposes.
from obtaining a reentry permit, in advance of trips outside the
United States for 1 year or more, nor does it relieve the
Please note that in most cases you must have been physically
applicant from the naturalization law's physical presence
present and residing in the United States for an uninterrupted
requirement.
period, without any absences whatsoever, for at least 1 year
after your admission as a lawful permanent resident before
An applicant qualifying for the residency preservation may
extend the benefit to his or her spouse and dependent children
you can file Form N-470.
who are all members of the same household and have lived
with the principal applicant while abroad.
In addition, you must submit the Form N-470 to USCIS before
you have been absent from the United States for a continuous
Another exception to the residency requirement is made for
period of 1 year. However, if your absence from the United
alien members of the U.S. Armed Forces. A permanent
States is, was, or will be solely as a clergyman or
resident employee of the U.S. government abroad who has
clergywoman, missionary, brother, nun or sister of a religious
filed a Form N-470 is considered physically present in the
denomination or interdenominational mission organization
United States during such employment abroad. He or she does
having a bona fide organization within the United States, you
not need to obtain a reentry permit.
may file this application before or after an absence of 1 year or
more.
NOTE: As a naturalization applicant, you may be eligible for
For additional information regarding qualifying employment
expeditious processing if your U.S. citizen spouse is
and eligibility, see Step 1 of these instructions.
employed outside the United States as a missionary, or by a
Instructions for Form N-470 (Rev. 01/31/11) Y
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