More details about the Green Card Exit Tax [1]. > exceptions apply There are multiple conditions required for naturalization. What you're referring to is the

More details about the Green Card Exit Tax [1]. > exceptions apply There are multiple conditions required for naturalization. What you're referring to is the continuous residency portion. Continuous residency is defined as the period prior to application an unbroken US residence. What constitutes a break? An absence from the US of longer than 6 months with very few exceptions (eg working for the US government or military is I believe about the only exception). Generally yes, 5 years of continuous residency is required. Marriage to a US citizen is the most common exception: 3 years of continuous residency (and being married to the US citizen for 3+ years). There is another though: 1 year of service in the US armed services also will qualify the continuous residency requirement for citizenship by naturalization. If you do have a gap in continuous resiency, a new rule kicks in. IIRC instead of 5 years of continuous residency, you qualify 4 years and 1 day after your return to the US (assuming no 6+ month gap in that time). [1]: https://www.expatriationattorneys.com/green-card-u-s-exit-tax-8-years/ https://www.expatriationattorneys.com/green-card-u-s-exit-ta...