Permanent residents of the United States (foreign nationals with a green card) who work overseas face barriers in their quest to one day become naturalized U.S. citizens. Normally, naturalization eligibility requires not only having had U.S. lawful permanent residence but actually lived in the U.S. for a certain length of time (usually five years) before applying. Fortunately, some green card holders are eligible for an important exception to the usual rules. They can have their time outside the United States treated like time inside the United States when applying for U.S. citizenship, thus shaving years off the time spent waiting to apply. For details on who qualifies for such exceptions, see Exceptions to Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements for Naturalization Applicants.
This article will focus on how people can actually take advantage of the rules preserving residence in the United States for citizenship purposes. In short, you might need to plan ahead and file a separate application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Its purpose is to prove to USCIS that you qualify to use the exception, which among other things requires that you have spent at least one year physically present in the United States as a permanent resident, with no breaks, before going overseas (unless you’re a religious worker).
When and How to Apply to Preserve Your U.S. Residence for Naturalization Purposes
The application to preserve your continuous U.S. residence, and count your time spent abroad toward the U.S. residence period you need in order to naturalize, is made on USCIS Form N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes.
Applicants are, in most cases, expected to not submit this application until after they have have spent one continuous year physically present in the United States as a permanent resident (but long before applying for naturalization). The exception is that religious workers can file after they come back to the United States and at any time before applying for U.S. citizenship.
You can send your application after you leave the United States, but you must do it before you have been gone for a continuous period of one year. You’ll have to mail the application package back to the States—there are no foreign filing addresses.
Filling Out USCIS Form N-470
You can find USCIS Form N-470 and the instructions for filling it out and submitting it on the USCIS website. The tips below refer to the 04/01/2024 version of the form (still in use in early 2026).
Part 1 of the form asks about your employer. Select only one type. This confirms that you might be eligible and lets USCIS know what else you must prove to be eligible.
In Part 2, in addition to supplying basic biographical information, you are asked to describe your job and how long you expect to be outside the United States doing it. If you are a religious worker filing after your return to the United States, give the exact length of time you were outside the United States for the job.
Fee and Supporting Documents for USCIS Form N-470
The filing fee is $420 (2026 figure; check for any changes on the USCIS Fee Schedule). You can pay either by:
- credit card, using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions., or
- via bank transfer by completing and signing Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions.
(Checks and money orders are no longer accepted by USCIS.)
You don’t have to submit any supporting documents with your N-470. If you do end up spending more than a year outside the country and if you then apply for naturalized U.S. citizenship, USCIS will ask for documents supporting your eligibility to take advantage of the rule when you apply for citizenship.
When to Expect USCIS's Decision on Your N-470 Application
Your N-470 application is a request to have time spent outside the United States count as time inside the United States when the time arrives that you apply to become a U.S. citizen. There is no need for USCIS to do anything with your application, therefore, unless and until you actually apply to become a U.S. citizen.
If you need to take advantage of the benefits of an N-470 when you apply to become a citizen, USCIS will make a decision on your application at that time. You will have to prove how long you were out of the country and that your employment abroad qualifies you to take advantage of the rule.
You Might Also Need to File a Form I-131 to Preserve Your U.S. Residence
The fact that you have filed an N-470 to qualify for special treatment of your time overseas for U.S. citizenship purposes does not mean that you can leave for your job overseas without worrying about a separate but related issue: getting back into the United States when the time comes. Any continuous period of one year of more spent outside the United States can be seen as an abandonment of your U.S. permanent residency.
To prevent problems reentering the United States or potential loss of your permanent resident status, you should file for a reentry permit using USCIS Form I-131, preferably before you go. Yes, it seems like doubling up on applications, but each of these addresses a separate issue. And if you're seen to have abandoned your U.S. residence, you will lose both your right to a green card and any prospects of applying for U.S. citizenship.
Do You Need to Hire a Lawyer?
If you still have questions about applying for U.S. citizenship, or would like a lawyer to consult with you about your eligibility given your plans to travel overseas, prepare the paperwork, or accompany you to the naturalization interview, it could be well worth hiring an attorney. The attorney can both put your mind at ease and make sure that you are submitting the proper forms and gathering the right sort of evidence for eventually proving to USCIS that you did the right thing.
You might also want to check out Is It Worth the Cost of Hiring a Lawyer for U.S. Citizenship or Other Immigration Matters?.