Path to US citizenship — complete guide

US naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) becomes a US citizen. This is the final step on the immigration path for many — it opens rights including voting, US passport, petitioning for family without limits, federal government employment.

Process summary

Total typical time: 8-15 months from filing Form N-400 to oath ceremony.

8 steps:

  1. Meet eligibility requirements
  2. File Form N-400 + pay $760 (paper) or $710 (online)
  3. Receive biometric appointment (fingerprints + photo)
  4. Attend interview at USCIS Field Office
  5. Take civics exam (2025 test: 20 questions from a list of 128, 12 correct to pass)
  6. Take English exam (reading, writing, conversation with officer)
  7. Receive decision (approval, denial, or request for additional evidence; a USCIS request for evidence gives you at most 12 weeks to respond, often less since Aug. 5, 2026, so use the date on the notice)
  8. Attend oath ceremony

Step 1: Eligibility requirements

General requirements

  • ✅ 18+ years at filing
  • ✅ Lawful permanent resident (green card) for at least 5 years (3 if married to US citizen and lived together for last 3 years)
  • ✅ Continuous physical presence in US — at least half the residency period (2.5 of last 5 years)
  • ✅ Continuous residency — a single absence of one year or more breaks continuity outright (unless you preserved residence on Form N-470, which must be filed before the absence reaches one continuous year, per 8 CFR 316.5(d)(1)); an absence of more than 6 months but under a year is presumed to break it unless you can prove otherwise to USCIS (8 CFR 316.5(c)(1))
  • ✅ Good moral character — no serious crimes, no tax evasion, registered for Selective Service (males)
  • ✅ English proficiency — reading, writing, speaking (age/years exceptions)
  • ✅ Civics knowledge — US history + government (2025 test: 20 questions from a list of 128, 12 correct to pass)
  • ✅ Loyalty to the Constitution — oath

English exam exceptions

  • Age 50 or older + at least 20 years as a green card holder, both at the time of filing: exempt from the English test; the civics test is still required, in your language of choice with an interpreter
  • Age 55 or older + at least 15 years as a green card holder, both at the time of filing: exempt from the English test; the civics test is still required, in your language of choice with an interpreter
  • Age 65 or older + at least 20 years as a green card holder, both at the time of filing: you study a specially designated bank of 20 civics questions; the officer asks 10 of them and you must answer 6 correctly, in the language of your choice

Step 2: File N-400

Cost

  • Online: $710 (includes biometrics)
  • Paper: $760 (includes biometrics)
  • Reduced fee ($380): household income between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines — claimed directly on the N-400, no separate form
  • Active military: FREE

How to file

  1. Create account at my.uscis.gov
  2. Fill out N-400 online (faster than paper)
  3. Upload digital documents (green card, marriage evidence if applicable, tax records)
  4. Pay fee with card or check/money order
  5. Receive Receipt Notice (Form I-797) by mail confirming

Steps 4-5: Interview + civics exam

Approximately 4-9 months after biometrics, USCIS schedules the interview.

What to bring

  • Interview appointment letter
  • Current green card + photo ID
  • Valid passport
  • List of trips outside US (with exact dates) for last 5 years
  • Marriage certificate if 3-year rule
  • Previous divorce decrees (yours + spouse’s)
  • Tax records for last 5 years (IRS transcripts)
  • Complete criminal record if any history
  • Child support compliance proof (if applicable)

English exam

Officer asks you to:

  • Read aloud: 1 of 3 short sentences correctly, from the USCIS reader
  • Write: 1 of 3 sentences correctly, as the officer dictates
  • Conversation: understand and respond to basic questions during interview

Civics exam

Which test you take depends on when you filed Form N-400 (USCIS, Study for the Test):

  • N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025 — the 2025 test: the officer asks 20 questions from a list of 128, and you must answer 12 correctly. The officer stops once you have 12 right or 9 wrong.
  • N-400 filed before October 20, 2025 — the 2008 test: 10 questions from a list of 100, with 6 correct to pass.
  • Age 65 or older with 20+ years as a permanent resident: 10 questions from a specially selected bank of 20 (marked with an asterisk), from whichever test applies, and you may take it in the language of your choice.

USCIS publishes the complete question bank. Study in advance — and study the list that matches your filing date.

Step 7: Oath ceremony

Formal ceremony at USCIS Field Office or federal court:

  1. Identity verification
  2. Hand in green card
  3. Read Oath of Allegiance
  4. Receive Certificate of Naturalization
  5. Some ceremonies include immediate voting + voter registration

Step 8: After ceremony

  1. Apply for US passport — travel.state.gov, $130
  2. Update Social Security — SSA must register new citizenship
  3. Register to vote — often at the ceremony itself
  4. Notify USCIS of pending cases
  5. Consider petitioning for family — as citizen you can petition for spouse, children, parents, siblings

Dual citizenship

US permits dual citizenship. If your origin country also permits (Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Spain, etc.), you can keep both.

Common errors causing denial/delay

  1. Insufficient physical presence — not meeting 30 months in last 5 years
  2. Prolonged trips — single trip >6 months can break continuity
  3. Unpaid taxes — IRS must verify 5 years of returns
  4. Not registered for Selective Service (males 18-25 upon green card)
  5. Unpaid child support — uncomplied court orders
  6. Lying on N-400 — fraud is grounds for denial AND revocation
  7. Undisclosed criminal history — including DUI, arrests without conviction

Total process costs

  • N-400 fee: $710-$760
  • Passport after naturalization: $130 + $35 execution
  • Total: ~$875-$925 USD

Realistic timeline

PhaseTime
Meet 5 years (or 3) with green card3-5 years prior waiting
Document preparation1-3 months
N-400 filed → Receipt Notice1-4 weeks
Receipt → Biometric4-8 weeks
Biometric → Interview4-9 months
Interview → Decisionsame day or 1-3 months
Decision → Oath1-3 months
TOTAL N-400 to oath8-15 months typical

Last verified: 2026-09-24. General information — not legal advice. Free resources: CLINIC, NILC, ILRC, EOIR’s pro bono list.