How to Apply for U.S. Citizenship as a Green Card Holder

To apply for U.S. citizenship as a green card holder, you file Form N-400 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after you have held lawful permanent resident status for five years (or three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen), then complete biometrics, an interview that includes English and civics testing, and the Oath of Allegiance at a public ceremony. Most applicants finish the process in roughly five to eight months. The rest of this guide walks through each requirement and step in order.

Who Qualifies to Apply

You must be at least 18 years old. Beyond age, three things drive eligibility: how long you have held your green card, how much of that time you actually spent in the country, and your conduct during the qualifying period.

The Five-Year and Three-Year Paths

The standard path requires five years of continuous residence as a lawful permanent resident, plus physical presence in the United States for at least 30 months of those five years.¹ You also need to have lived in the state or USCIS district where you file for at least three months.

If you are married to a U.S. citizen, the wait drops to three years of continuous residence and 18 months of physical presence. Your spouse must have been a U.S. citizen for the entire three years, and you must have been living together in a marital union throughout.² Divorce or separation before filing pushes you back onto the five-year track.

You can file Form N-400 up to 90 calendar days before you finish the continuous residence period.³ Doing so gets you into the processing queue sooner and can shorten your overall wait.

Travel That Can Break Your Residence

International trips are where applications most often fall apart. A single trip of more than six months but less than a year creates a legal presumption that you broke continuous residence.⁴ You can rebut that presumption with evidence you kept your ties here (family remained, job continued, home retained), but the burden is on you.

A trip of a year or more automatically breaks continuous residence, and you generally need to start a new residence period. If you know in advance that you’ll be abroad that long, filing Form N-470 (Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes) before you leave is the only way to prevent the break. Even a pattern of frequent short trips can raise questions if it suggests your real home is somewhere else.

Good Moral Character

USCIS examines your conduct during the statutory period, which is the three or five years before you file. Certain convictions disqualify you outright: a murder conviction at any time, or an aggravated felony conviction on or after November 29, 1990, is a permanent bar.⁵ Convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude or controlled substance offenses during the statutory period also count against you.

Non-criminal conduct matters too. Willful failure to support dependents, lying to obtain immigration benefits, and failing to file tax returns can all support a finding that you lack good moral character.

Male applicants between 18 and 25 are required to register with the Selective Service System within 30 days of their 18th birthday or 30 days after entering the United States.⁶ If you were required to register and did not, USCIS may treat that as a moral character problem, especially if you cannot show the failure was unintentional. Men over 31 who never registered generally need a status information letter from Selective Service explaining why.

English and Civics Testing

You must show basic ability to read, write, and speak English. The officer evaluates your spoken English through the interview itself, then asks you to read one sentence aloud and write one sentence.⁷ You then take a civics test on American government and history. The officer asks up to 10 questions from a published list of 100, and you need 6 correct to pass.⁸

Some applicants are exempt from the English portion based on age and years as a permanent resident:

50 or older with at least 20 years as a green card holder (the “50/20” exception) are exempt from the English requirement.
55 or older with at least 15 years as a green card holder (the “55/15” exception) get the same exemption.

Both groups still take the civics test, but in their native language through an interpreter.⁹ Applicants who are 65 or older with at least 20 years of permanent residence (the “65/20” exception) are also exempt from English and take a simplified civics test drawn from a shorter list of 20 questions.¹⁰

If a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment prevents you from learning English or civics, you can request a medical exception by filing Form N-648 with your application. A licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist must complete it and explain how your condition prevents you from meeting the requirement.¹¹ Illiteracy alone does not qualify; a diagnosed condition is required.

Documents to Gather Before You File

Form N-400 asks for records that cover your life since you received your green card: every address, every employer, and exact dates for every trip outside the United States during the past five years (or three, for marriage-based filers).

Pull together the following:

A photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card.
Two identical passport-style photos if you are filing by mail.
A certified copy of your marriage certificate if you are applying under the three-year marriage-based path.
IRS tax transcripts covering the statutory period if you owe any federal, state, or local taxes, plus documentation of your payment arrangement.¹²
Certified court dispositions for any arrests or criminal charges, even if the charges were dropped or you were acquitted.

Any foreign-language document must come with a certified English translation.

Filing Fees and Fee Relief

The N-400 filing fee is $710 for online filing or $760 for paper filing. Both include the biometrics fee; there is no separate charge for fingerprinting.¹³

Two forms of financial relief exist:

Reduced fee: If your household income is between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, file Form I-942 to request a reduced fee of $320 plus an $85 biometrics fee.¹⁴
Full fee waiver: If your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you receive a means-tested benefit, or you face extreme financial hardship, file Form I-912 to request a full waiver.

Submitting Form N-400

You can file online through a USCIS account or mail a paper application to the designated lockbox. Online filing costs $50 less, lets you track your case in real time, and allows immediate payment by credit or debit card.

Once USCIS accepts your filing, you’ll receive Form I-797C, a Notice of Action that serves as your receipt.¹⁵ Hold on to it. The receipt number is what you’ll use to check case status and communicate with USCIS.

Shortly after, you’ll get an appointment notice for biometrics at a local Application Support Center, where a technician takes your fingerprints, photo, and digital signature for FBI background checks. Missing the appointment without rescheduling in advance can lead to administrative closure of your case, which means starting over with a new filing and a new fee.

National processing times move around, but the median for fiscal year 2025 was about 5.6 months from filing to completion.¹⁶ Your actual timeline depends on the field office assigned to your case.

You can still travel internationally while the application is pending, but the same continuous-residence rules apply. A trip over six months creates the same presumption of disrupted residence that can sink your case. Shorter trips are fine, but plan around your biometrics appointment and interview. USCIS will not reschedule indefinitely.

The Interview and Test

The interview takes place at your local USCIS field office. A USCIS officer goes through your N-400 line by line under oath, asking you to confirm or update your answers on background, marriage, employment, travel, and any law enforcement contact. Your spoken English is evaluated throughout the conversation itself.

During the interview you also take the reading and writing portions of the English test (one sentence each, up to three attempts) and the civics test. The officer typically stops asking civics questions once you have 6 correct.

The officer will also confirm you are willing to take the Oath of Allegiance, including the clause about bearing arms on behalf of the United States. If religious beliefs or deeply held moral convictions prevent you from agreeing to that clause, you can request a modified oath, but you need to raise it before the ceremony and provide clear evidence of your beliefs.¹⁷

The interview ends in one of three outcomes:

Granted: you meet all requirements and are scheduled for the oath ceremony.
Continued: the officer needs more information, or you failed part of the test. If you failed English or civics, you get one retest between 60 and 90 days later.
Denied: the officer finds you don’t meet one or more requirements, and you receive a written explanation.

The Oath Ceremony

After approval, USCIS sends Form N-445 with the date, time, and location of your ceremony.¹⁸ The form asks whether anything has changed since your interview: new arrests, trips abroad, changes in marital status. Answer honestly. Officers review your answers before administering the oath.

At the ceremony you surrender your green card and publicly recite the Oath of Allegiance. You are not a U.S. citizen until you finish that oath. Afterward you receive your Certificate of Naturalization. Check every detail on it before leaving, because correcting errors later requires a separate request to USCIS.

If You Are Denied

A denial is not necessarily the end. You can request a hearing before a different USCIS officer by filing Form N-336 within 30 calendar days of receiving the denial (33 days if mailed).¹⁹ Late filings are generally rejected, so watch the deadline.

Once USCIS receives a timely request, the hearing must be scheduled within 180 days. The hearing officer conducts a fresh review, can accept new evidence, and can affirm, deny on different grounds, or reverse and approve.²⁰ If the original denial was based on the English or civics test, the hearing officer re-administers the failed portion once. If the hearing still ends in denial, you can seek judicial review in federal district court.

A straightforward N-400 denial does not, on its own, put your green card at risk. You remain a lawful permanent resident. But if the naturalization process reveals immigration fraud or disqualifying criminal conduct, USCIS can refer your case to immigration enforcement, which could lead to removal proceedings.²¹ That outcome is rare, but applicants with complicated criminal or immigration histories should consult an attorney before filing.

Your Children May Become Citizens Automatically

When you naturalize, your children may acquire U.S. citizenship automatically. A child born outside the United States becomes a citizen when three conditions are all met: at least one parent is a U.S. citizen (including by naturalization), the child is under 18, and the child is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the citizen parent as a lawful permanent resident.²² The same rule applies to adopted children who meet the immigration-law definition.

Acquisition is automatic, but the child will not receive a Certificate of Citizenship unless you file Form N-600.²³ Without the certificate, proving the child’s citizenship for school enrollment, passports, or future benefits becomes much harder.

After You Take the Oath

Apply for a U.S. Passport

Your Certificate of Naturalization proves your citizenship, but a passport is more useful day to day. As a first-time applicant you file Form DS-11 in person at a passport acceptance facility; you cannot apply by mail for a first passport. Bring your original Certificate of Naturalization (not a photocopy), a valid photo ID, one passport photo, and photocopies of both the certificate and your ID.²⁴ Do not sign the application until the acceptance agent tells you to.

Update Social Security

Tell the Social Security Administration you are now a U.S. citizen so your records reflect the new status. Your Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or U.S. passport all work as proof.²⁵ If you opted into an SSA update during the naturalization process and haven’t received a replacement card within 14 days of getting your certificate, contact your local Social Security office.

Register to Vote

You can register as soon as you take the oath. Many ceremonies have voter registration tables on-site. Registration is run at the state or county level, so the process and deadlines depend on where you live.

Dual Citizenship

The Oath of Allegiance renounces foreign allegiances, but the United States does not enforce that renunciation against your other citizenship. Whether you actually lose your original citizenship depends on the laws of your home country. Some countries allow dual citizenship regardless of the U.S. oath; others treat obtaining foreign citizenship as grounds for losing theirs. Check your home country’s rules before the ceremony.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1427 – Requirements of Naturalization
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1430 – Married Persons and Employees of Certain Nonprofit Organizations
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-400, Application for Naturalization
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 3 – Continuous Residence
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eCFR. 8 CFR 316.10 – Good Moral Character
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Selective Service System. Who Needs to Register
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Naturalization Interview and Test
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Civics Questions and Answers for the Naturalization Test
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Exceptions and Accommodations
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. M-1781 – Civics Questions and Answers for the 65/20 Special Consideration
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Information for Medical Professionals Completing Form N-648
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Fact Sheet – Form N-400 Application for Naturalization Filing Fees
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-942, Request for Reduced Fee
15
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action
16
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Historic Processing Times
17
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 3 – Oath of Allegiance Modifications and Waivers
18
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Naturalization Ceremonies
19
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings
20
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – USCIS Hearing and Judicial Review
21
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 4 – Results of the Naturalization Examination
22
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1431 – Children Born Outside the United States and Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence
23
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship
24
U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
25
Social Security Administration. Your Social Security Number and Card