Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Naturalization Decision

Form N-336 is the request you file with USCIS to challenge a denial of your Application for Naturalization (Form N-400). You have 30 days from the date you receive the denial notice to file it, and your case then goes to a different immigration officer for a fresh review. That second look can reverse the original decision without forcing you to start over with a new application or head to federal court.¹

The 30-Day Deadline

The clock starts when you receive the written denial of your N-400. You have 30 calendar days from that date to file Form N-336. If USCIS mailed the denial, the deadline extends to 33 calendar days from the date on the notice, with the extra three days accounting for mail delivery.¹

This is not a soft deadline. Miss it and the denial becomes a final agency decision. At that point your only options are filing a brand-new N-400 with a new fee, or, in limited situations, seeking judicial review in federal court. So the first thing to do when a denial arrives is mark the deadline on your calendar and work backward from there.

Should You Appeal or Re-File?

Not every denial is worth appealing. The N-336 works best when you believe the officer got the facts or the law wrong: misread your tax records, miscalculated your physical presence, or applied the wrong standard to a moral character issue. A second officer reviewing the same evidence with your corrections can often fix that kind of problem faster than starting over.

Re-filing a new N-400 makes more sense when the denial reflects a genuine gap you need time to fix. If you failed the English or civics exam, more study time may serve you better than an immediate rehearing where you could be tested again. If the denial rested on a lack of continuous residence and you simply hadn’t accumulated enough qualifying time, waiting and re-filing once you meet the requirement is more practical. A denial does not freeze your eligibility clock; time keeps running toward the residence and physical presence thresholds even after a denial.²

Re-filing means paying the full N-400 fee again. The N-336 carries its own separate, lower fee. There is no deadline to re-file a new N-400, so you can take the time you need before trying that route.

Completing the Form

Download the current edition from uscis.gov/n-336. Using an outdated version can get your filing rejected before anyone looks at the substance. The form itself is short. The work behind it, the written explanation and the supporting documents, is what carries the appeal.

Personal Information and Denial Details

Part 1 asks for your current legal name, which should match your birth certificate unless it was legally changed through marriage or a court order. Write your Alien Registration Number (A-Number) in the top right corner of every page. Your A-Number appears on your Permanent Resident Card and on correspondence from USCIS or the Department of Homeland Security.³

Part 2 asks about the denial itself: your N-400 receipt number, the date on the denial notice, and the USCIS office that issued it.⁴ Copy these details exactly from your denial notice. A wrong receipt number can cause processing delays.

Your Written Explanation

The most important part of the filing is where you explain why the denial was wrong. Your denial notice will spell out the specific grounds, including the facts and legal sections the officer relied on.⁵ Address each ground directly. If the officer concluded you lacked continuous residence, explain why the evidence shows otherwise. If you were denied for a moral character issue, identify the specific error: a misread court record, a conviction outside the statutory look-back period, or a charge that was actually dismissed.

Many applicants attach a separate written brief that goes beyond what fits on the form. That is where you lay out your legal arguments in detail and reference the supporting documents you’re including. A reviewing officer who can follow your reasoning before the hearing is more likely to arrive prepared to address your strongest points.

Supporting Documents

Include any evidence that supports your case, especially anything not available during the original N-400 interview. Common examples: updated tax transcripts, court records showing case dispositions, proof of continuous residence (leases, utility bills, employment records), and evidence of physical presence in the United States.

Any document in a foreign language must include a full English translation. The translator must certify in writing that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English.⁶ The translator does not need a professional credential. The written certification is what USCIS requires.

Signatures

If you file on paper, sign in black or dark blue ink and make sure everything on the form is legible. USCIS recommends typing the form when possible. An unsigned form will be rejected.⁷ USCIS does not require a wet ink original. A photocopied, scanned, or faxed copy of a document with an original handwritten signature is acceptable.⁸

Where and How to File

You can file online or by mail. Online filing goes through your USCIS online account at uscis.gov, which also lets you pay the fee, track your case status, and respond to evidence requests electronically.¹

Mailing Addresses

Paper filings go to one of two USCIS lockbox facilities based on where you live:

Phoenix Lockbox handles residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, U.S. territories in the Pacific, and applicants living outside the United States. USPS: USCIS, Attn: NATZ, P.O. Box 20100, Phoenix, AZ 85036-0100.
Elgin Lockbox handles residents of all other states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. USPS: USCIS, Attn: NATZ, P.O. Box 4088, Carol Stream, IL 60197-4088.

Courier addresses (for FedEx, UPS, DHL) are different. Check the full state-by-state list and the current courier addresses at uscis.gov/n-336 before mailing. Sending to the wrong lockbox delays processing.¹

Filing Fee and Fee Waivers

A filing fee is required, and the amount differs between online and paper submissions. Verify the current fee at uscis.gov/n-336 or on the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) before submitting. USCIS will reject filings with the wrong amount.⁹

If you cannot afford the fee, you can request a waiver by filing Form I-912 with your N-336. USCIS grants fee waivers on three grounds: you or a household member is receiving a means-tested public benefit such as Medicaid or SNAP; your household income is at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; or you are experiencing extreme financial hardship from extraordinary expenses or circumstances.¹⁰ You’ll need documentation to support whichever basis you claim: benefit award letters, pay stubs, tax returns, or evidence of the hardship.

After You File

Once USCIS accepts your filing and fee (or fee waiver), you’ll receive Form I-797C, a receipt notice confirming your request is in the system.¹¹ The receipt includes a case number you can use to check status online. Keep it. That is your proof of timely filing.

USCIS must schedule your hearing within 180 days of the date you filed your request.¹² In practice, wait times vary by office workload. Monitor your case through your online account or by calling the USCIS Contact Center. You’ll receive a hearing notice with the date, time, and location.

The Hearing

The hearing takes place at a USCIS office. It is not a courtroom proceeding. It is conducted by an immigration officer who was not involved in your original denial and who holds a grade level equal to or higher than the officer who denied you.¹² For complex cases, the officer may conduct a full de novo review, evaluating your entire naturalization application from scratch. For simpler disputes, the officer may use a less formal procedure focused on the specific issues you raised.¹³

The reviewing officer can place you under oath, take new testimony, review the entire record from your original application, and consider new evidence. If your original denial rested on failing the English or civics exam, the officer can re-administer those tests during the hearing. Prepare accordingly rather than assuming the hearing is limited to a paper review.

You have the right to bring an attorney or accredited representative. If you choose to be represented, your attorney must file Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative) with your N-336 filing or at the hearing itself. Both you and the attorney must sign the G-28.¹⁴

The officer will either affirm the original denial or reverse it. If reversed, you move forward to the Oath of Allegiance ceremony. If affirmed, the denial stands as a final administrative decision.

If the Denial Is Upheld

An affirmed denial is not the end of the road. You can petition the U.S. district court in the district where you live for judicial review under 8 U.S.C. § 1421(c). Review is de novo: the federal judge makes independent findings of fact and conclusions of law without deferring to USCIS. If you request it, the court will hold its own hearing on your application.¹⁵

The statute does not specify a deadline for filing the petition, but the district court’s local rules and general principles under the Administrative Procedure Act govern timing. Filing promptly after the final administrative decision protects your claim. Federal court litigation carries procedural requirements and filing fees well beyond the administrative process, so consulting an immigration attorney at this stage is strongly advisable.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part D Chapter 9 – Good Moral Character
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form N-336
5
eCFR. 8 CFR 336.1 – Denial After Section 335 Examination
6
U.S. Department of State. Information About Translating Foreign Documents
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Five Steps to File at the USCIS Lockbox
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1 Part B Chapter 2 – Signatures
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055, Fee Schedule
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1 Part B Chapter 4 – Fee Waivers and Fee Exemptions
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action
12
eCFR. 8 CFR 336.2 – USCIS Hearing
13
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part B Chapter 6 – USCIS Hearing and Judicial Review
14
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative
15
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1421 – Naturalization Authority