Enrichment · Life Skills

Count the days
before you file.

The N-400 asks for every trip abroad since you became a permanent resident, and the trips decide whether you are ready. Put in your green card date and your travel; the page gives the earliest filing date and checks the time rules before USCIS does.

Start your applicationWhat you get
$5one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $5

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Life skills kit, $29 for 28 items.

Your applications

The worked example is made up: a resident since March 2022 who can file from Dec 14, and a spouse of a citizen with a seven-month trip to explain. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · Life Skills$5

What you finish with
A record per applicant: permanent resident date, the 5-year or 3-year path, current state, every trip outside the United States and ten preparation steps. Works out the earliest filing date (90 days before the anniversary), total days outside and the longest trip; flags trips over six months and over a year, physical presence close to the minimum and the 3-year path’s marriage conditions.
Who it is for
Permanent residents getting ready to apply for U.S. citizenship, and the family members, teachers and volunteers helping them.
Format
Browser organizer with a saved record per applicant. Prints the trip list and checklist to bring to a citizenship class or legal clinic, every applicant in a table or a blank sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file. Kept private on your device.
Access
$5 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Life skills kit ($29) and the Enrichment Suite pass ($119), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Life Skills space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Copy the “Resident since” date from the green card.
  2. Pick the 5-year or 3-year path.
  3. List every trip of 24 hours or more.
  4. Work through the documents and study steps.
  5. File on or after the earliest date shown.

Start your application

The time rules

The three time rulesPermanent residence5 years, or 3 if marriedto and living with aU.S. citizen spouseYou may file 90 daysearlyContinuous residenceA trip over six monthsis presumed to break itA year or more breaks itPhysical presenceIn the U.S. at leasthalf the time913 days in 5 years, 548in 3The three time rulesPermanent residence5 years, or 3 if married to and living witha U.S. citizen spouseYou may file 90 days earlyContinuous residenceA trip over six months is presumed to breakitA year or more breaks itPhysical presenceIn the U.S. at least half the time913 days in 5 years, 548 in 3
You also need three months in the state or USCIS district where you file, good moral character, and to pass English and civics unless an exception applies.

Fees

The N-400 fee since April 2024 is $760 on paper or $710 filed online, with biometrics included. A reduced fee is available for households with income at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, and a full waiver for some applicants. Check uscis.gov for the current amounts before you pay.

When to get legal help

Any arrest or citation, a trip of six months or more, unpaid taxes, a past immigration problem or a claim to be a citizen are reasons to talk to an immigration lawyer or a Department of Justice accredited representative before filing. Many nonprofits help at low or no cost.

Sources

  1. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, instructions and Early Filing Calculator (uscis.gov).
  2. USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Citizenship and Naturalization, Part D: continuous residence and physical presence (uscis.gov/policy-manual).
  3. Immigration and Nationality Act § 316 and § 319(a); 8 CFR 316.2 and 316.5.
  4. USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule (April 2024) and Study for the Test (uscis.gov/citizenship).

The worked examples are made up. This page counts days and organizes documents; it is not legal advice, and some situations, such as military service or a spouse working abroad, follow different rules. Check uscis.gov or a qualified legal service. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.