Most green card holders can become U.S. citizens after five years, or three if married to and living with a U.S. citizen. This n 400 citizenship guide walks the whole naturalization n 400 journey, in plain English.
Years as a permanent resident before most applicants qualify; three years for spouses of U.S. citizens.
The single application for naturalization: every citizenship application n 400 runs on this form.
Days before you hit the residency mark that you may file the N-400 early.
Five things decide a case, and one form carries them all. These n 400 form requirements set the eligibility for citizenship n400.
five years as a green card holder, or three years if married to and living with the same U.S. citizen spouse throughout.
physical presence for at least half the period and continuous residence, with long trips abroad capable of breaking the clock.
a clean record across the statutory period, weighing arrests, taxes, child support, and honesty on prior filings.
reading, writing, and speaking English, plus the civics test, with the 50/20, 55/15, and 65/20 age-and-residence exemptions and a possible N-648 medical waiver.
a willingness to take the Oath of Allegiance and support the Constitution.
Two clocks run toward the same oath. Which one is yours?
the standard road: 5 years as a permanent resident, with physical presence for at least half that period and continuous residence throughout. Filed on Form N-400.
Form I-485
for spouses: 3 years as a permanent resident while married to and living with a U.S. citizen. Filed on the same Form N-400
Form I-485
Every step of the n 400 application process runs the same way.
Screen the immigration and criminal history before filing. The right time to catch a problem is now, not at the interview.
File Form N-400, the application that begins every citizenship application n 400, with supporting documents and fees.
Attend the USCIS interview, answer questions about the application, and take the English and civics tests.
Receive the decision. If it is denied, request a hearing on Form N-336 within 30 days.
Take the Oath of Allegiance at the ceremony. Citizenship begins the moment the oath is complete.
the application for naturalization, the one form behind every n400 naturalization case
the medical certification that waives the English and civics tests for a qualifying disability.
the request for a hearing, filed within 30 days if the N-400 is denied.
Old arrests, missed tax filings, unpaid child support, or an error on a prior green card application can surface at the interview and turn a routine case into a denial or worse. The safest n-400 processing starts with an honest look back before a single page is filed.
The government fee for the N-400 depends on how you file and whether you qualify for a reduction or a waiver. Military applicants naturalizing under INA sections 328 and 329 pay no fee at all. A June 2026 proposal would raise the fee to $1,280 online and $1,330 on paper: it is a proposal, not law, so confirm the current amount with USCIS before filing.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| N-400 online filing | $710 | The standard online filing fee for most applicants |
| N-400 paper filing | $760 | The standard fee when filing by mail |
| Reduced fee (Form N-400, Part 10) | $380 | For applicants between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; file by mail |
| Fee waiver (Form I-912) | $0 | Full waiver for applicants at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or on means-tested benefits |
| Military (INA 328/329) | $0 | No fee for qualifying current and former service members |
Fee amounts reflect published government figures as of August 2026 and change over time; the live links above are always current. The June 2026 increase to $1,280 online and $1,330 paper remains a proposal, not current law.
It can. A single absence of six months or more can break continuous residence, and one of a year or more almost always does unless you preserved it in advance. Shorter trips add up too, so track your days and plan any long absence before you leave.
Yes. USCIS wants the full history, including arrests that led nowhere, dismissals, and expunged records. Hiding them is far more dangerous than the incident itself, since a false answer on the N-400 is its own ground for denial. Bring certified court dispositions for everything.
Age and residence may exempt you: 50 years old with 20 years as a resident, 55 with 15, or 65 with 20 (a simpler civics test in your language). A qualifying medical condition can waive both tests through Form N-648, completed by a licensed provider.
It varies widely by field office, commonly running from several months to over a year from filing to oath. Filing online and responding quickly to every notice keeps a case moving. We track your office's current times and flag anything that stalls.
You have 30 days to request a hearing on Form N-336 before a different officer. Many denials come from fixable issues: a missed document, a misunderstood question, or a moral character concern that has an answer. A denial is often the start of the argument, not the end.
Not automatically. A denial usually leaves your permanent residence intact, but some cases surface a deeper problem, such as an old removability ground, that can put the green card itself at risk. That is exactly why the history gets screened before anything is filed.
Screen the history first: it is what turns a routine case into a safe one. Tell us your story, the evaluation is free, and we will tell you exactly where you stand.
