U.S. citizens (both native-born and naturalized) can live abroad indefinitely without losing their citizenship, as it is a permanent status that cannot be taken away simply by residing overseas. There is no maximum time limit, though you must file U.S. taxes annually. Citizenship is only lost through voluntary, intentional renunciation at a U.S. consulate or specific treasonous acts.
No, you generally cannot lose U.S. citizenship just by living in another country, as it's a permanent status; however, you can lose it through specific voluntary acts like formally renouncing it at a U.S. embassy or by performing certain actions with the intent to give up citizenship, such as serving in a foreign military against the U.S. or committing treason. Prolonged absence doesn't automatically revoke citizenship, but maintaining ties like filing taxes and visiting helps prove you still intend to remain a citizen.
What will happen if I am out of the United States for more than six months? Staying outside the United States for more than 6 months but less than one year will subject you to additional questioning when you return to the United States but you are not required to have a Reentry Permit.
The U.S. Citizenship "3-Year Rule" allows Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) married to U.S. citizens to apply for naturalization after only three years of permanent residency, instead of the standard five, provided they've lived in marital union with the same citizen spouse for those three years and meet other requirements like continuous residence and good moral character. Key conditions include being at least 18, maintaining continuous U.S. residence, and proving the marriage (and spouse's citizenship) for the entire three-year period before filing.
The general rule is that a naturalized citizen who voluntarily resides outside the US for an uninterrupted period of more than one year may be presumed to have abandoned their US citizenship.
Applicants filing on or after October 20, 2025, will take the 2025 version:
In other words, staying more than 90 days on one stay, then leaving the country and returning, resets the “90-day clock.” To avoid breaking the 90-day rule, an applicant must wait 90 days since their most recent entry to the United States before marrying or seeking to adjust their status..
Your tax returns are very important proof that you are eligible for naturalization. On the day of your interview, bring certified tax returns for the last 5 years (3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen).
At this time, no penalties exist if a naturalized U.S. citizen simply goes to live in another country. But if the person also takes certain other actions, citizenship can be lost.
Loss of nationality occurs where a person ceases to be a national of a country under its law. The principal modes of loss of nationality are: Deprivation of nationality on grounds of conduct. Deprivation of nationality on grounds of fraud or misrepresentation.
Albania: 1-Year Visa Free Stay
The country offers one of the longest tourist visas for US citizens, making it a good option if you're looking for a temporary move or extended vacation. Length of stay: US citizens do NOT need a visa to enter Albania. You can generally stay for up to 1 year without a residence permit.
No, a U.S. citizen generally cannot be denied entry back into the United States, but they can face significant delays, extensive questioning, searches of belongings (including electronic devices), or even arrest if criminal issues are discovered during the process, especially with a valid U.S. passport. While a citizen has the right to enter, CBP can detain devices for deeper inspection under border search exceptions, though they can't force a password for a U.S. citizen.
The "3-year rule" for U.S. citizenship allows Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) married to U.S. citizens to apply for naturalization after three years of residency, instead of the standard five, provided they've lived in marital union with their citizen spouse for those three years, meet other requirements (good moral character, English/civics), and can file 90 days early. Key conditions include being married to the same U.S. citizen for the entire period, living with them, and demonstrating continuous U.S. residency.
The "3-month rule" for U.S. citizenship (naturalization) requires you to have lived in the specific state or USCIS service district where you file your N-400 application for at least three months immediately before filing, ensuring administrative efficiency and address verification, and it's a separate requirement from the general 5-year (or 3-year) continuous and physical presence rules for lawful permanent residents.
Part 2: Staying in the Schengen Area Past 90 Days
The rule follows a rolling 180-day period — meaning all days spent in the Schengen Area within any 180-day window count toward the 90-day allowance. So crossing non-Schengen borders (and/or returning home briefly) will not rest your 90 days.
The caseworker guidance gives examples of reasons that might be accepted as beyond an applicant's control, including:
Yes, the Trump administration implemented significant, controversial changes to the U.S. citizenship test in late 2020, making it longer and more difficult with new questions, but these changes were later scrapped in 2021 by the Biden administration, which reverted to the 2008 version, only for the Trump administration (in 2025) to announce a new 2025 test (based on the 2020 version but with streamlined administration) for applications filed after October 20, 2025, under a new executive order.
Which Countries are Impacted? The list of countries impacted by this pause: Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
In 2026, the U.S. naturalization (citizenship) test is undergoing its most significant overhaul in years. The changes are designed to modernize how civics knowledge is evaluated, expand language access, and update study materials to reflect how applicants learn today.