US Naturalization: How to Become a US Citizen

You generally must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a permanent resident for 5 years, or 3 years if you are married to a US citizen, have lived in marriage with them for those 3 years, and your spouse has been a citizen for the whole 3 years
• Have continuous residence in the US for that period (see below)
• Have physical presence in the US for at least half of it: 30 months under the 5-year rule, 18 months under the 3-year rule
• Have lived for at least 3 months in the state or USCIS district where you apply
• Show good moral character
• Pass the English and civics tests, unless an exemption applies
• Support the principles of the US Constitution and take the Oath of Allegiance

Members and veterans of the US armed forces have special, faster rules.

You can file Form N-400 up to 90 days before you reach your 5-year or 3-year anniversary as a permanent resident. Your "resident since" date is on your green card.

Example: if your green card says you became a resident on March 15, 2021, your 5-year date is March 15, 2026, and you could file from December 15, 2025. If USCIS receives your application even one day too early, it will be denied.

Use our naturalization date calculator to find your first filing date, including how long trips abroad affect it.

Long trips can reset your clock:

Physical presence is counted separately: add up all days outside the US and make sure you still have at least 30 (or 18) months inside. A reentry permit protects your green card on a long trip, but not your naturalization clock.

From the USCIS fee schedule dated September 9, 2026:

Biometrics are included. You cannot file online if you request a reduced fee or a fee waiver.

1. File Form N-400 online or by mail, with a copy of your green card and the fee.
2. Biometrics: fingerprints and photo, or USCIS may reuse earlier biometrics.
3. Interview: an officer reviews your application under oath and gives the English and civics tests. See citizenship test.
4. Decision: you get a notice that you were granted, continued (for more evidence or a retest), or denied.
5. Oath ceremony: you take the Oath of Allegiance, return your green card, and receive your Certificate of Naturalization. You are a citizen from that moment.

After the oath, apply for a US passport and update your Social Security record. Unmarried children under 18 with green cards who live with you usually become citizens automatically; see citizenship by descent.

• New civics test. Applicants who filed on or after October 20, 2025 take the 2025 civics test: up to 20 questions from a list of 128, and you must answer 12 correctly.
• Closer good moral character review. In 2025 USCIS told officers to take a broader look at good moral character, weighing positive contributions as well as negative conduct, and it may contact neighbors or employers in some cases.
• Holds for travel-ban nationals. USCIS has placed holds and extra review on many pending applications, including naturalization, from nationals of the 39 travel ban countries.

If you have any arrest, citation, tax debt, unpaid child support, or long trips abroad, talk to a licensed immigration lawyer before you file. An application can expose problems that lead to removal proceedings.