A citizen spouse is regularly stationed abroad if he or she proceeds abroad, for a period of not less than one year, pursuant to an employment contract or orders, and assumes the duties of employment. There is no requirement that the citizen have been employed by the company in the U.S. or be transferred abroad by the company. The citizen may a “local hire” abroad rather than be an “expat” hire. It is irrelevant whether undertaking the employment was the reason for moving or staying abroad. Further, arguably there is no requirement that the U.S. citizen spouse already be abroad before the naturalization application is filed. The application can be filed and approved before the overseas assignment begins. The statute and regulations also clearly allow the application to be filed after the citizen spouse has already taken up the overseas employment. Both the statute and the corresponding regulations are silent on how to measure the one-year period. The USCIS Policy Manual interprets this requirement to mean that the employment abroad must be “scheduled to last for at least one year at the time of filing, even if less than one year of such employment remains at the time of the naturalization interview or Oath of Allegiance provided that the spouse remains employed abroad at the time of naturalization.” The regulations require a person whose application is pending to notify USCIS of “any delay or cancellation of the citizen spouse’s assignment abroad.” Termination of the employment before naturalization is granted would require denial of the naturalization application. While the employment must be pursuant to an employment contract or orders, there is no authority requiring that they specify the term of employment. At-will employment is acceptable. Still, the applicant has the burden of proving through documentation how long the employment is “scheduled to last.” This could be in the form of an employer letter.