American Immigration Lawyers
Khan Law, PLLC
555 Republic Drive, Floor 2, Suite 214
Plano, TX 75074
Office: (469) 200-6508
WhatsApp: (469) 200-6508
Email: info@khanlegalgroup.com
U.S. immigration law, serving clients
in all 50 states and worldwide.
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Tell us your story. We’ll tell you which of these paths actually fits your life, before you spend a dollar.
The Visa Guide · Citizenship
Citizenship &
Naturalization
The final step.
Most green card holders can become U.S. citizens after five years, or three if married to and living with a U.S. citizen. Here’s the whole journey, in plain English.
Who Qualifies
Five requirements. One oath.
The checklist looks simple. The history behind it is where cases are won or lost.
The residency period
5 years as a permanent resident, or 3 years married to and living with a U.S. citizen spouse.
Presence & continuity
Physical presence for at least half that period, and continuous residence: trips over 6 months raise presumptions of abandonment.
Good moral character
For the statutory period: taxes, child support, and any arrests all count.
English & civics
With age-based exemptions (50/20, 55/15, 65/20 rules) and medical waivers (Form N-648).
The Constitution
Attachment to the Constitution and willingness to take the oath.
Two Paths
Five years. Or three.
Two clocks run toward the same oath. Which one is yours?
Path
The standard road: 5 years as a permanent resident, with physical presence for at least half that period and continuous residence throughout.
Form N-400 Check your timeline →Path
For spouses: 3 years as a permanent resident while married to and living with a U.S. citizen.
Form N-400 See if you qualify →The Process
Five steps. One oath.
The screening
Screen the full history first. Filing an N-400 with an unexamined problem (old arrests, long trips, tax issues, registration lapses) is how avoidable disasters happen.
The application
File Form N-400 online or by mail (fee waivers and reductions available), up to 90 days before the 5/3-year mark.
The interview
Biometrics, then the interview: application review under oath plus the English and civics tests.
The decision
Granted, continued (retest or evidence), or denied, appealable via Form N-336.
The oath
Take the Oath of Allegiance: citizenship, a U.S. passport, voting, and the power to sponsor more family.
Forms & Fees
Know the paperwork.
The application for naturalization. Fee waivers and reductions available
The medical waiver of the English and civics requirements
The appeal of a naturalization denial
Screen the history first.
Old arrests, long trips, tax issues, registration lapses: filing an N-400 with an unexamined problem is how avoidable disasters happen. We screen every applicant’s history first.
Live processing times & fees
Government numbers change monthly. These official tools are always current:
Your oath.
Our fight.
We screen every applicant’s history first. Tell us your story: the evaluation is free, and we’ll tell you exactly when and how to file.
Attorney Advertising: general information, not legal advice. We screen every applicant’s history first: request a free case evaluation or call (469) 200-6508. ← Back to all visa guides
The Fine Print
The small rules that decide cases.
- Count physical presence day by day; old passports, entry stamps, and work records prove the math
- Keep proof that your home never moved during long trips: lease, job, tax returns, family here
- Fix Selective Service gaps early; a status information letter can answer a missed registration
- File every tax return and put a payment plan on any balance before you apply
- Update USCIS within 10 days every time you move, so notices never chase an old address
- A trip of 12 months or more: continuous residence breaks outright and the clock generally restarts
- Registering to vote or claiming citizenship on any form, ever; false claims are nearly unfixable
- Hiding an arrest, even one dismissed or expunged; every incident must be disclosed with records
- Guessing on the form; every yes and no is checked against government files you cannot see
- Filing with a removable offense unscreened; a weak N-400 can end in immigration court, not a ceremony
Costs
What it costs in 2026.
The N-400 is one of the few USCIS filings that is cheaper online, and one of the few with real help built in for lower-income families. Note the calendar, though: in June 2026 the government proposed raising the fee to $1,280 online and $1,330 on paper and eliminating both the reduced fee and the fee waiver. As of August 2026 that is a proposal, not the law, and today’s lower amounts still apply. If you qualify now, filing under the current schedule is the safer bet.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| N-400 filed online | $710 | USCIS discounts electronic filing by $50; the receipt notice also extends most expiring green cards by 24 months |
| N-400 filed on paper | $760 | The required route if you request the reduced fee or a full waiver |
| Reduced fee | $380 | Household income under 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; paper filing only |
| Full fee waiver (Form I-912) | $0 | A means-tested benefit, income at or below 150 percent of the guidelines, or documented hardship |
| Military naturalization (INA 328/329) | No fee | Qualifying service members and certain veterans file free |
Fee amounts reflect published government figures as of August 2026 and change over time; the live links above are always current. Fees apply per applicant; children who derive citizenship automatically through a parent usually never file an N-400 at all.
FAQ
Questions we hear every week.
Will applying for citizenship put my green card at risk?
For most people, no: the application ends in an oath, not an interrogation. But an N-400 invites USCIS to re-read your entire immigration file, and certain histories, such as deportable offenses, a pattern of very long trips, or problems in the original green card case, can turn an application into a court referral. That is exactly what our screening exists to catch before anything is filed.
Can I travel while the N-400 is pending?
Yes. Short trips with your green card are fine, and you simply list them at the interview. The residence rules keep running until the oath, though, so a long absence while the case is pending can undo years of waiting.
My green card is about to expire. Do I renew it or file the N-400?
For most applicants the N-400 receipt notice now extends the expiring card by 24 months, so a separate renewal is often unnecessary. If you need the physical card sooner for work or travel, or your situation falls outside that policy, we file the renewal too. Bring the expiration date to your consultation and we will map it out.
What happens if I fail the English or civics test?
You get a second appointment, usually two to three months later, and you retake only the part you failed. A second failure means a denial, but not a bar: you can prepare and file again when you are ready.
Do I have to list arrests that were dismissed or expunged?
Yes, every one, anywhere in the world, with certified court records. A dismissed charge rarely sinks an application; an undisclosed one regularly does, because the omission itself becomes the honesty problem.
How long does naturalization take right now?
It depends almost entirely on your local field office, which is why the live processing tool above is the honest answer. Two things applicants control: file a complete, well-documented application the first time, and remember that moving mid-case can transfer your file to a slower office.