Your immigration history
N-400 asks for every trip outside the United States in the last five years, with dates. Reconstructing that from memory years later is where discrepancies come from.
Where it gets asked for
N-400 Naturalization
You must list every trip outside the US in the last 5 years and prove continuous residence and physical presence.
Consular Interviews
Consular officers may ask about your complete immigration history. Accurate records prevent discrepancies.
Adjustment of Status (I-485)
USCIS reviews your entire immigration history to confirm lawful status maintenance.
Visa Renewals
Prior status history, entries/exits, and filing records are needed for DS-160 applications.
Attorney Consultations
Attorneys need your complete timeline to assess options and identify potential issues.
Audit Protection
Having organized records protects you if USCIS requests additional documentation or conducts a review.
What to record
For each one: the date, and enough detail to answer a follow-up question years later.
- Status Change
- Entry to US
- Exit from US
- Filing / Petition
- Approval
- Denial
- RFE (Request for Evidence)
- Interview
- Biometrics
- Oath Ceremony
- Other
Keeping it straight
- Record every entry and exit from the US with exact dates — this is critical for naturalization calculations.
- Keep copies of every I-94 record. You can retrieve past records at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.
- Note the exact date of every status change, including when your new visa status begins.
- Save all receipt numbers (IOE, MSC, LIN, SRC, EAC, WAC) for every filing.
- Track your physical presence days carefully — N-400 requires continuous residence and physical presence.
- Record all trips outside the US, including destination, purpose, and exact duration.
- Keep a record of every address change and report it to USCIS within 10 days (AR-11).
- Document biometrics appointments, interview dates, and oath ceremony details.
- Maintain records of all RFEs received and responses submitted.
- Note any name changes, marriage/divorce events, or employer changes that affect your status.
Reconstructing a history you never kept
CBP publishes your own arrival and departure record. Pull it from the I-94 travel history search — it goes back several years and is the same data an officer sees. Where it disagrees with your memory, the record usually wins, so check it before you file rather than at the interview.
For anything older, a FOIA request gets your full file.
Statuses
Record which one you held for each period, and when it changed.
- B-1/B-2 (Visitor)
- F-1 (Student)
- F-2 (Dependent)
- H-1B (Specialty Worker)
- H-4 (H-1B Dependent)
- L-1A (Intracompany Manager)
- L-1B (Intracompany Specialist)
- L-2 (L-1 Dependent)
- O-1 (Extraordinary Ability)
- J-1 (Exchange Visitor)
- J-2 (J-1 Dependent)
- K-1 (Fiance)
- E-2 (Treaty Investor)
- E-3 (Australian Specialty)
- TN (NAFTA Professional)
- R-1 (Religious Worker)
- P-1 (Athlete/Entertainer)
- U Visa (Crime Victim)
- T Visa (Trafficking Victim)
- DACA
- TPS (Temporary Protected Status)
- Asylee
- Refugee
- Parole
- Green Card (LPR)
- U.S. Citizen
- OPT (F-1 Work Authorization)
- STEM OPT Extension
- EAD (Employment Authorization)
- Advance Parole
- Other
Ports of entry
The port is asked for on some forms — this is what they look like on your record.
- JFK International Airport, New York
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Miami International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Newark Liberty International Airport
- Washington Dulles International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport
- Houston George Bush International Airport
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Boston Logan International Airport
- Detroit Metropolitan Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
- Denver International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Tampa International Airport
- Honolulu International Airport
- San Juan Luis Munoz Marin Airport
- El Paso Port of Entry, TX
- San Ysidro Port of Entry, CA
- Laredo Port of Entry, TX
- Otay Mesa Port of Entry, CA
- Hidalgo Port of Entry, TX
- Nogales Port of Entry, AZ
- Blaine Port of Entry, WA
- Buffalo-Niagara Falls Port of Entry, NY
- Detroit Port of Entry (Ambassador Bridge), MI
- Port Huron Port of Entry, MI
Keep the record itself
The app stores your entries, exits and filings on your device and adds up the days for you — which is the calculation N-400 actually needs.