How to Apply for US Citizenship as a Permanent Resident

To apply for U.S. citizenship as a permanent resident, you file Form N-400 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) after you have held a green card long enough, spent enough time physically in the country, and can show good moral character. Most green card holders qualify after five years; spouses of U.S. citizens can qualify after three. The filing fee is $710 online or $760 by mail, and the median case takes about 6.4 months from filing to oath.1USCIS. Historic Processing Times

Confirm You Qualify Before You File

The core eligibility rules come from federal statute. You must have held your green card for at least five continuous years as of the filing date.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1427 – Requirements of Naturalization The waiting period drops to three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen, have lived with that spouse in marital union for the full three years, and your spouse has been a citizen the entire time.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1430 – Married Persons and Employees of Certain Nonprofit Organizations

You also need physical presence in the United States for at least half your required residency period: 30 months out of five years, or 18 months out of three.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements for Naturalization On top of that, you must have lived in the state or USCIS district where you file for at least three months before submitting the application, and you must be at least 18 years old at filing.5USAGov. Become a U.S. Citizen Through Naturalization

Good moral character is judged across the statutory period. Congress lists specific bars, including aggravated felony convictions, giving false testimony to obtain immigration benefits, spending 180 or more days in jail, deriving most of your income from illegal gambling, and habitual drunkenness.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1101 – Definitions USCIS can also weigh unpaid child support, tax delinquency, or unreported arrests that fall outside the statutory list.

How Trips Abroad Affect Your Eligibility

Travel is where otherwise-eligible applicants trip up. A single absence of more than six months but less than one year creates a presumption that you broke continuous residence. You can rebut it by showing you kept your U.S. job, kept paying rent or a mortgage, filed taxes as a resident, and generally maintained your life here, but the burden is on you.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements for Naturalization

An absence of one year or more breaks continuous residence outright, and you generally have to restart the residency clock after you return. There is a narrow exception for applicants working abroad for the U.S. government, certain American companies, recognized research institutions, public international organizations, or religious denominations, who can file Form N-470 before departing to preserve continuous residence.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-470, Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes

Gather Your Documents First

Assemble everything before you open the form. Chasing records after filing invites requests for evidence that stall your case. You will need:

  • Your Permanent Resident Card.
  • A complete travel log with exact departure and return dates for every trip outside the U.S. during the statutory period.
  • Full addresses for every place you have lived during the statutory period.
  • Employer names, addresses, job titles, and dates for the statutory period.
  • Marriage certificates, and divorce decrees or death certificates for any former spouses.
  • IRS transcripts or copies of filed returns for the statutory period.
  • Selective Service registration confirmation if you are male and lived in the U.S. between ages 18 and 26. You can verify at sss.gov or by calling (847) 688-6888.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part D Chapter 7 – Attachment to the Constitution
  • Certified copies of police reports and court dispositions for any arrest or conviction, even if the case was dismissed. Failing to disclose is worse than the record itself.

Any document not in English needs a certified translation, with the translator’s signed statement that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from the source language.

File Form N-400 and Pay the Fee

Form N-400 is available on the USCIS website and can be completed online or on paper.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-400, Application for Naturalization The online version has built-in error checking and lets you track the case immediately. The form asks about biographical information, residency, employment, travel, marriage, organizational memberships, criminal history, and your willingness to take the Oath of Allegiance. Answer every question truthfully. False statements on the N-400 can lead to denial and potential fraud charges, and any discrepancy with a prior immigration filing draws extra scrutiny.

The filing fee is $710 online or $760 on paper, with biometrics included. If your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you can request a full waiver on Form I-912. If it falls between 150% and 200%, you qualify for a reduced fee of $380 using Form I-942.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Request for Reduced Fee, Form I-942 The income thresholds change each year, so check the current numbers before filing.

What Happens After You File

USCIS mails a receipt notice (Form I-797C) with a case number you can use to track your application online.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action Soon after, you receive a biometrics appointment notice with a date and location for fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature capture for background checks.

The nationwide median processing time was 6.4 months as of early 2026, but field offices vary widely and complex cases run longer.1USCIS. Historic Processing Times You can check estimated times for your specific field office on the USCIS site.

The Interview, English Test, and Civics Test

The interview happens at your local field office. An officer walks through your N-400 line by line, confirming your answers and asking follow-ups. Bring your green card, the interview notice, and originals of any documents you submitted as copies. Update the officer on anything that changed since filing, such as a new address, a new job, or a trip abroad.

The English test and civics test are given in the same appointment. The officer judges your spoken English during the conversation itself, then asks you to read one sentence aloud and write one down.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Naturalization Interview and Test

The civics test version depends on your filing date. If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test: the officer asks up to 20 civics questions and you must answer at least 12 correctly.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Check for Test Updates That is a harder bar than the older 2008 test, which required 6 out of 10.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Study for the Test Confirm which question bank matches your filing date before you start studying.

Two age-based exemptions reduce the load. If you are 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident, or 55 or older with 15 years, you are exempt from the English requirement and can take the civics test in your preferred language through an interpreter. If you are 65 or older with 20 or more years as a permanent resident, USCIS uses a simplified civics test drawn from a smaller 20-question bank.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part E Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing

If a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment keeps you from meeting the English or civics requirements, a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist can complete Form N-648 to request an exception. There is no USCIS fee for the N-648, and you can file it with your N-400 or bring it to the interview.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions

You have the right to bring an attorney or accredited representative to the interview. Your lawyer cannot answer for you, but they can observe, take notes, clarify legal points, and object if something improper happens.

If You Fail the Test or Get Denied

Failing English or civics on your first attempt is not the end. USCIS schedules a second attempt 60 to 90 days later, and you only retake the portion you failed.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part B Chapter 4 – Results of the Naturalization Examination Failing the second time, or missing the retest without a good reason, ends in denial.

If USCIS denies your application, you can request a hearing before a different officer by filing Form N-336 within 30 days of receiving the denial notice, or 33 days if it was mailed.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings Filing late usually means USCIS rejects the request and keeps your fee. If the N-336 hearing also goes against you, your remaining option is filing a petition in federal district court.

The Oath of Allegiance

Once the officer approves your application, you receive a notice scheduling your naturalization ceremony. Some field offices administer the oath the same day as the interview; others schedule the ceremony weeks later.19U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Naturalization Ceremonies At the ceremony, you turn in your green card, take the Oath of Allegiance, and receive your Certificate of Naturalization. That certificate is your primary proof of citizenship until you get a U.S. passport, so protect the original.

What to Do After You Become a Citizen

Citizenship unlocks new rights and documents, but you have to claim them:

  • Apply for a U.S. passport using Form DS-11 at a passport acceptance facility. Bring your original Certificate of Naturalization, a photocopy of it, a photo ID with a photocopy, and one passport photo. The passport book fee is $130, plus a $35 acceptance facility fee, with $60 more for expedited service.20U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
  • Update your Social Security record. Schedule an appointment, bring proof of identity and your new status, and the updated card arrives by mail within 5 to 10 business days.21Social Security Administration. Update Citizenship or Immigration Status
  • Register to vote. Most states allow online, mail, or in-person registration when you renew your driver’s license.
  • Update your employer if you want. You can present your passport or naturalization certificate as new proof of work authorization, though employers are not required to reverify citizens.