Physical Presence Calculator: Have You Spent Enough Days in the U.S. to Naturalize?
Naturalization has two different residence requirements: continuous residence and physical presence. This tool adds up your days in the U.S. from your travel records and flags long trips that may break continuous residence.
Physical presence calculator
Track your days in the U.S. to verify citizenship eligibility
Travel history
Add all trips outside the U.S. during the statutory period
How to get your travel history
You can retrieve your official travel records from CBP:
i94.cbp.dhs.govTwo Easily Confused Requirements
Physical presence: counting days
Under the 5-year rule you must have been physically in the U.S. for at least 30 of the past 60 months; under the 3-year rule, 18 of 36 months. It is counted in days, and the days you leave and return usually count as days in the U.S.
Continuous residence: was it broken?
This is a separate requirement. A single trip of 6 months or more but less than 1 year is presumed to break it, which you can rebut with tax returns, a home, a job and similar evidence; a trip of 1 year or more usually breaks it outright.
You must meet both
You can have enough days in the U.S. and still be denied because one long trip broke continuous residence. The reverse is also true.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get my full travel history?
- You can look up your travel history on CBP's I-94 website, but the records may be incomplete (especially at land border crossings). Keep your passport stamps and flight records too.
- What if my job sends me abroad for a long time?
- In certain cases you can file Form N-470 to preserve continuous residence. It must be filed before you have been abroad for one year.
Sources: Data and Law
Related Tools
This tool gives estimates based on public regulations and government data, for reference only. It is not legal advice. We are not a law firm. Every case is different — talk to an immigration lawyer before making a decision.