Rulebook / Residence & citizenship / United States
US naturalization presence
- Day threshold
- 913 days
- Window
- Rolling 1826 days
- Direction
- Floor — reach at least
- Counts
- Days in United States; arrival and departure days both count
- Authority
- USCIS
US naturalization presence requires at least 913 days in United States in any rolling 1826-day period. You are trying to reach the number, not stay under it. At least half of the five-year statutory period — 913 days. A single absence of six months or more can also break continuity of residence, which this counter does not track.
Who it applies to
This matters most if you are:
- A permanent resident who travels often and must protect the status they already hold.
- An applicant counting physical presence toward residence or a passport.
- Anyone who will have to evidence their days to an immigration authority at renewal or application.
The rule — and why it exists
US naturalization presence. At least 913 days in United States in any rolling 1826-day period — written as >=913 / 1826.
Why it exists: residence and citizenship are granted to people who actually live in the country. Presence requirements and absence caps are how that is measured rather than asserted.
Counting the days
- On any given day, look back over the 1826 days ending on that day (that day included).
- Count every day you were physically in United States in that span. Partial days count as full days.
- The total must reach 913. Repeat for every day — there is no reset date.
- A day only stops counting once it is more than 1826 days old. Leaving and returning changes nothing.
The free calculator below counts this rule with the same engine the Dwelltime app ships.
Check it with the free tool
Examples
Example 1 — 602 days inside, checked at the end of the window
Stays: United States 2026-03-01 → 2027-10-23. Checked on 2027-10-23.
Result: US naturalization presence: 311 more days needed (602 of 913 in United States), earliest 2028-08-29.
Example 2 — 913 days used, then trying to return
Stays: United States 2026-01-01 → 2028-07-01. Checked on 2028-08-01.
Result: US naturalization presence: reached — 913 of 913 days in United States.
Example 3 — Two separate stays that add up past 913
Stays: United States 2026-01-01 → 2027-07-01; United States 2028-07-02 → 2029-12-30. Checked on 2029-12-30.
Result: US naturalization presence: reached — 1094 of 913 days in United States.
Exceptions & edge cases
- Absences with permission. Some regimes disregard absences approved in advance or forced by illness; record them and check the source.
- Continuity vs. totals. Some rules require both a total and no single absence over a limit; both must hold.
- Evidence. Authorities may ask for stamps, boarding passes or statements — keep the source of every day.
Common misconceptions
- "Hitting 913 days is automatic." Not quite — the count meets the day test; the remaining conditions still apply.
- "It resets when I leave." No. Days age out one at a time, 1826 days after they happened.
- "Arrival day doesn't count." Any part of a day inside is a day inside.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 913-day count per calendar year or rolling?
Rolling 1826 days. The window rolls forward one day at a time.
Do arrival and departure days count?
Yes — any part of a day counts as a day.
Where does this rule come from?
USCIS: Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part D — Physical Presence. The link is verified on every build; if it stops resolving the build fails.
This rule is tracked in 
Dwelltime
- Counts your days for this rule from the trips you record
- Shows the last safe day, or the days still needed, before you book
- Explains every counted day and every uncounted one
- Runs alongside your other visa, tax and residency rules
Sources
Related rules
- 🇺🇸US Visa Waiver (ESTA)Ninety days per admission, and the period cannot be extended while in the United States.
<=90 / VISIT - 🇺🇸US Substantial PresenceThis counter is the current year only. The real test weights the two prior years at one third and one sixth — use SubstantialPresenceRule for the full calculation.
<=182 / YEAR - 🇺🇸US FEIE physical presence330 full days abroad in any 12 consecutive months. Days in transit over international waters do not count as days abroad.
>=330 AWAY / 365 - 🇺🇸US green card — absenceAn absence of a year or more is treated as abandonment; six months or more invites questioning at the border. This counter is a conservative 180-day warning over a rolling year and is not the statutory test.
<=179 AWAY / 365 - 🇺🇸New York statutory residenceStatutory residence needs both a permanent home in New York and more than 183 days there. Days recorded only as "United States", with no state, are not counted — they are reported as unknown rather than guessed.
<=183 / YEAR - 🇺🇸New Jersey statutory residenceStatutory residence needs both a permanent home in New Jersey and more than 183 days there. Days recorded only as "United States", with no state, are not counted — they are reported as unknown rather than guessed.
<=183 / YEAR - 🇺🇸Massachusetts statutory residenceStatutory residence needs both a permanent home in Massachusetts and more than 183 days there. Days recorded only as "United States", with no state, are not counted — they are reported as unknown rather than guessed.
<=183 / YEAR - 🇺🇸Connecticut statutory residenceStatutory residence needs both a permanent home in Connecticut and more than 183 days there. Days recorded only as "United States", with no state, are not counted — they are reported as unknown rather than guessed.
<=183 / YEAR
All 38 rules for United States →
For information only. This page is a plain-English summary of publicly available rules, not tax, legal or immigration advice. Rules change and depend on your personal circumstances — always confirm with the official source above and a qualified professional before acting.