RavenN-400 trip list builder
Paste the travel history from i94.cbp.dhs.gov, add any land-border trips it missed, and get the trip table Form N-400 asks for: every trip of 24 hours or more in the statutory period, its length, flags for absences over 6 months and over 1 year, and your physical-presence total against the 913-day requirement.
Results
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Not legal or tax advice. This calculator is an informational tool based on published rules as we understand them on 2026-09-25. Rules change and your facts matter; confirm your position with a qualified adviser or the authority before relying on it.
How the rule works
Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization), Part 9, asks about time outside the United States during the statutory period: 5 years before filing for most applicants, 3 years for spouses of US citizens. Three requirements depend on it (INA §316; USCIS Policy Manual Vol. 12, Part D):
- Trip list. Every trip of 24 hours or more, with departure and return dates, whether it lasted 6 months or more, and the countries visited. Most recent first.
- Continuous residence. Absences of more than 6 months are presumed to break it unless rebutted; absences of a year or more break it (unless preserved with Form N-470).
- Physical presence. At least 913 days (30 months) in the US during the 5-year period, or 548 days in the 3-year period. Departure and return days count as days in the US.
The builder pairs each I-94 "Departure" with the next "Arrival" to form a trip, sorts trips most recent first, drops same-day trips (under 24 hours), and clips trips that started before the period. It counts full days abroad for physical presence. The "Copy table" button copies tab-separated rows you can paste into a spreadsheet or the online form.
Worked example
Daniel plans to file on 25 September 2026; his statutory period runs from 26 September 2021 (1,826 days). His I-94 shows five departure/arrival pairs. Pasted into the builder:
- 2 Aug – 30 Aug 2026: 28 days, 27 full days abroad.
- 2 Nov – 5 Nov 2025 (Buffalo to Toronto): 3 days, 2 full days abroad.
- 14 Jun – 30 Jun 2025: 16 days, 15 full days abroad.
- 20 Feb – 15 Sep 2024: 208 days, flagged as over 6 months; he should prepare evidence that he kept his US job and lease.
- 27 Dec 2022, same-day trip to Nassau: under 24 hours, not listed.
4 trips listed, 251 full days outside, 1,575 days physically present: comfortably above 913. Press "Load worked example" to see the table, then "Copy table".
Frequently asked questions
Which trips does Form N-400 ask for?
Part 9 of the N-400 asks you to list every trip outside the United States that lasted 24 hours or longer during the statutory period: the last 5 years (or 3 years if you are applying as the spouse of a US citizen). For each trip: the date you left, the date you returned, whether it lasted 6 months or more, and the countries you visited. The form also asks for the total number of days spent outside the US.
How do I get my I-94 travel history?
Go to i94.cbp.dhs.gov, choose "View travel history", enter your passport details and copy the table. It shows arrivals and departures for the last 5 years. It is not an official record: land-border exits to Canada and Mexico are often missing, and trips before 2013 may be incomplete. Compare it with your own records and add missing trips manually here.
How is the physical presence requirement counted?
You must have been physically present in the US for at least 30 months (913 days) out of the 5 years before filing, or 18 months (548 days) out of 3 years for spouses of citizens. The day you leave and the day you return both count as days in the US, because you were physically here for part of each. The builder subtracts only the full days you were abroad.
What breaks continuous residence?
An absence of more than 6 months but less than 1 year is presumed to break continuous residence unless you can show you kept your US ties (job, home, family, tax filing). An absence of 1 year or more breaks it automatically unless you filed Form N-470 in advance. The builder flags both kinds in the table.
What if I forget a trip?
USCIS compares your list with CBP records and asks about discrepancies at the interview. Forgotten trips are usually corrected at the interview, but an incomplete list can delay your case or raise questions about good moral character. Use your passport, I-94, airline emails and photos to reconstruct trips; Raven automates this going forward.
Does a one-night trip count as 24 hours?
Only if it actually lasted 24 hours or more. A trip that leaves Monday afternoon and returns Tuesday morning is under 24 hours and need not be listed; a trip that leaves Monday morning and returns Tuesday evening should be. The builder lists all overnight trips and flags one-night trips for you to check.