Hi! I'm a green card holder. I broke my continuity during the pandemic, but I've been back in the US for two and a half years and I'm considering citizenship when I become eligible.

I've accrued most of the time required to pass the physical presence test already. But I'm still over a year away from applying, so I'm lining myself up to make sure I have what I need.

I'm wondering if folks have experiences applying after resuming their residency of using the 4-years-plus-1-day timer before filing their N400. I've heard also that waiting until 4-years-plus-6-months is a better approach, because then no stretch of time out of the country is longer than 6 months. (Related info here.) Do folks have experience with their application in either case? Pointers and experiences are welcome.

I deliberately filed for re-entry permits while out to make clear that I always intended to return. I don't own property nor was I working for a US organization while I was out. I did maintain bank accounts, I filed taxes (including paying California state taxes, so as to not trigger any marks for becoming "non-resident"), and I had my mail directed to a friend's house the entire time I was out. I have a good credit history and no criminal history.

My timeline:

• November 2016: I took a job I couldn't pass up outside of the US. I applied for a re-entry permit ahead of time.
• The re-entry permit arrived at the embassy abroad, expiry date set to March 2019. I had 5 short trips back to the US in this time, never more than six months apart.
• March 2019: I returned to the US to work for 6 months. Aside from two business trips abroad, I was in the US until September 2019.
• October 2019: I took on another job abroad, and again I applied for a re-entry permit ahead of time. The re-entry permit was granted with an end date of September 2021.
• Then, of course, COVID. I didn't travel until I was fully vaccinated in July 2021, so continuity was unambiguously broken. I understand that COVID is not a consideration for the application.
• August 2021: I returned to the US full-time. I typically have a foreign trip once every couple of months, either for business or to visit family.