U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security Edition Edition 04/01/24 (OMB 1615-0056, expires 02/28/2027) 7 pages

Form N-470 — Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes

The USCIS form that lets a green card holder working abroad for a qualifying employer keep their time abroad from breaking continuous residence.

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Form N-470 · Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes
The official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security form, edition Edition 04/01/24 (OMB 1615-0056, expires 02/28/2027) — blank
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Form N-470 (2024) Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes — page 1 of 7
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Fill this form online Blank PDF from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security

What is Form N-470?

Form N-470 is the Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A lawful permanent resident who must live abroad to work for the U.S. Government, an American research institution, an American firm developing U.S. foreign trade, a public international organization or a religious denomination uses it so the time abroad doesn't break the continuous residence needed for naturalization. The current edition is Edition 04/01/24.

Part 1 asks who your absence is on behalf of. Part 2 covers your details, addresses, the date you became a permanent resident, whether you lived in the United States for an uninterrupted year since then, your trips abroad, the job that takes you abroad and any nonresident tax filings. Part 3 lists permanent resident family members who will live with you abroad. Parts 4 to 6 are the signatures of you, any interpreter and any preparer, and Part 7 is extra space.

FileIt lets you fill out the N-470 online. It pre-fills your name and date of birth from the People records in your vault, repeats your A-Number at the top of every page, works out each trip's days outside the United States and whether it lasted six months, and wraps your longer answers across the ruled lines. USCIS requires a handwritten signature, so you print and sign it. FileIt keeps the filled form in your vault and never files anything with USCIS.

Who fills it
A lawful permanent resident going abroad to work for one of the six kinds of employer in Part 1.
Timing
USCIS says to file before you have been abroad for a continuous year; see the instructions at uscis.gov/n-470.
Fee
Listed on Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, at uscis.gov/g-1055.
Signatures
Signed by hand in ink by you, and by any interpreter or preparer. FileIt leaves the signature boxes blank.
Edition
Edition 04/01/24 (OMB 1615-0056, expires 02/28/2027), 7 pages.
Agency
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security.

Who needs to fill out Form N-470?

  • Green card holders posted abroad by the U.S. Government or a U.S. Government contractor.
  • Researchers going abroad for an American institution of research.
  • Employees of an American firm, or its subsidiary, working on U.S. foreign trade and commerce abroad.
  • Staff of a public international organization of which the United States is a member.
  • Clergy, missionaries, brothers, nuns and sisters serving a religious denomination abroad.

When to use Form N-470

  • When a job with a qualifying employer will keep you outside the United States for a long period.
  • After at least one uninterrupted year of residence in the United States as a permanent resident.
  • Before the time abroad would otherwise break your continuous residence for naturalization.

What you need before you start

  • Your A-Number, name as on your Permanent Resident Card, other names, SSN and date of birth.
  • Your physical and mailing addresses, and the date you became a permanent resident.
  • Dates and countries of every trip of 24 hours or more since you became a permanent resident.
  • A description of the job that requires your absence and how long it is expected to last.
  • Names, dates of birth, relationships and A-Numbers of permanent resident family members going with you.
  • Your daytime phone and email address.

What’s on Form N-470

The 2024 edition has 7 pages. FileIt asks for it in 10 parts:

  1. Attorney or accredited representativeAttorney or accredited representative
  2. Part 1. Information about your eligibilityApplicant
  3. Part 2. Information about youApplicant
  4. Part 2. Time outside the United StatesApplicant
  5. Part 2. Employment and taxesApplicant
  6. Part 3. Family members who reside with youApplicant
  7. Part 4. Applicant's statement, contact information, certification and signatureApplicant
  8. Part 5. InterpreterInterpreter
  9. Part 6. Person preparing this applicationPreparer
  10. Part 7. Additional informationApplicant

How to fill out Form N-470, step by step

1 Part 1: Eligibility

Enter your A-Number and select the one kind of employer your absence is on behalf of.

2 Part 2: Information about you

Give your current name, other names, the name on your Permanent Resident Card, account and SSN numbers, date and country of birth, citizenship and addresses. Say when you became a permanent resident and whether you have lived here for an uninterrupted year since.

3 Part 2: Trips, job and taxes

List your trips abroad since becoming a permanent resident, most recent first; FileIt works out the days and the six-month question. Then describe the job abroad and its length, and answer the nonresident tax question.

4 Part 3: Family members

Say whether permanent resident family members live with you and will go with you, and list up to three of them.

5 Parts 4 to 7: Statement, signatures and extra space

Choose whether you read English or used an interpreter, add your phone and email, and sign by hand. Interpreters and preparers fill Parts 5 and 6. Part 7 holds anything that doesn't fit, such as more trips.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Choosing more than one box in Part 1.
  • Leaving out short trips: every trip of 24 hours or more since you became a permanent resident counts.
  • Answering No to item 12 without explaining in Part 7.
  • Signing with a typed name instead of in ink.
  • Using letters the form's font can't print; FileIt asks for the nearest plain letter.

After you fill it out

Print the form, sign it by hand and have any interpreter or preparer sign their parts.

File it with the fee and supporting evidence as the instructions at uscis.gov/n-470 describe.

FileIt keeps the PDF in your vault so you can find it again when you apply for naturalization.

Fill out Form N-470 online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 141 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start Form N-470 now — it’s free

Form N-470: frequently asked questions

Does Form N-470 keep my green card valid while I'm abroad?

N-470 is about continuous residence for naturalization. It is a separate question from keeping your permanent resident status; USCIS explains the difference on uscis.gov/n-470.

Who counts as a qualifying employer?

The six kinds in Part 1: the U.S. Government, an American research institution, an American firm in foreign trade (or one protecting its property abroad), a public international organization the U.S. belongs to, or a religious denomination.

Do my family members need their own N-470?

Part 3 lists permanent resident family members who live with you and will go with you; the instructions explain what each of them needs.

How much is the N-470 fee?

USCIS lists the current fee on Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, at uscis.gov/g-1055.

Can I fill out Form N-470 online with FileIt?

Yes. FileIt fills it out online and prints your answers on the official USCIS PDF. You print it, sign it by hand and file it yourself; FileIt doesn't file anything with USCIS.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.

Fill out Form N-470 online