Two requirements confuse almost every applicant: continuous residence and physical presence. They are different, and both matter.
Continuous residence
This means keeping your permanent home in the U.S. without long interruptions for the required period (5 years, or 3 for spouses of citizens).
- A trip of 6 months to 1 year creates a presumption that you broke continuous residence.
- A trip of 1 year or more generally breaks it.
Physical presence
This is the total number of days you were actually inside the U.S. You must be physically present for at least half of the required period:
- 30 months out of 5 years, or
- 18 months out of 3 years.
An easy way to remember
Continuous residence is about not leaving for too long at once. Physical presence is about adding up all your days in the U.S. You must satisfy both.
Get ready: Take the free US citizenship practice test and review the 30-day study plan.
Independent free resource, not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government, and not legal advice. Rules and fees change — confirm the latest at uscis.gov.
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