I am a USC and my husband a LPR since 2001. We live and work as missionaries (a US-based group) overseas. We would like to pursue naturalization for him and last month submitted N-470 for an exemption from the physical presence requirement. We submitted to the PHL office, and received a small cash register receipt in the mail soon after that and nothing else. Our time here in the US is ending soon and we have to get back to our jobs overseas. He's already had 3 travel documents which permitted him to stay out of country >1yr up to 2 yrs. Do we need to apply for another one? If his N-470 is approved can we apply for N-400 right away? Do we need to be in the US to do that? Does anyone know normal processing time for N-470? It seemslike such an obscure appliction it is so difficult to find out much about it. If someone can let me know your experience or what you know about it I'd greatly appreciate!

TIA

***p :-)

Hi Joan,

I copied a portion from the following website below. Not sure if it helps, but it does appear he needs a reentry permit. Good luck!

http://www.immigrationsolution...tion-forms/N-470.pdf

"To obtain approval to preserve residency, such permanent residents must file a Form N-470 application before departing from the United States.

The regulations are different for religious workers proceeding abroad to perform religious duties. Religious workers may apply before or after departure, or after return to the UnitedStates. They are not required to have lived in the United States for a specific period of time prior to filing Form N-470.

Filing a Form N-470 does not relieve a permanent resident from obtaining a reentry permit, in advance of trips outside the United States for a year or more, nor does it relieve the applicant from the naturalization law's physical presence requirement.

An applicant qualifying for the residency preservation may extend the benefit to his or her spouse and dependent children who are all members of the same household and have lived with the principal applicant while abroad".