Naturalization / Citizenship (Form N-400)

Naturalization / Citizenship (Form N-400)

Under the USCIS fee schedule effective April 1, 2024 (published in the Federal Register), the filing fee for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is $710 online or $760 on paper. The form is how lawful permanent residents who meet the residency, physical-presence, good-moral-character, and English/civics requirements apply to become U.S. citizens.

Download the official form

USCIS publishes Form N-400 as a free PDF. Always download the current version directly from USCIS — third-party copies may be outdated.

• Download Form N-400 (PDF) — official USCIS source
• Download Instructions for Form N-400 (PDF) — read before filling out the form
• File Form N-400 online with USCIS (where supported)

Official USCIS Fee (effective 2024-04-01)

Verified source: Federal Register 2024-01427

Filing fee

• Online filing: $710
• Paper filing: $760

Reduced fee $380 paper if income 150-400% FPL; free if under 150% FPL via Form I-912

Verify current fee

⚠️ USCIS fees can change. Verify the current fee before filing at:

• USCIS Fee Calculator — official tool
• USCIS Form G-1055 — full schedule

What is it for?

Apply for US citizenship as a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR / green card holder) who meets residency, physical presence, good moral character, and English + civics knowledge requirements.

Who needs it?

Permanent residents with at least 5 years of residency (3 years if married to a US citizen).

Processing time

Typical range: 8 to 15 months from filing to oath ceremony. Varies by Field Office.

⚠️ Times change weekly and vary by service center. For current time and your specific case:

• Check current times at USCIS
• Check YOUR case status at USCIS (you need your receipt number)

Fee

$760 (online) or $710 (paper) including biometrics — fees can change. Some military applicants are fee-exempt.

How to file

Online (myUSCIS) or by mail per preference. Online filing typically processes faster.

Required documents

• Completed Form N-400
• Copy of green card (front and back)
• Two passport-style photos (only if living abroad or military)
• Fee payment of $710-760 or fee waiver request (Form I-912)
• Valid or expired passport
• If married to a citizen: marriage certificate, evidence of bona fide marriage
• Evidence of travel outside the US during the last 5 years (3 if citizen spouse)
• Federal tax records for last 5 years (IRS transcripts)
• Complete criminal record if any history (including arrests without conviction)

Current USCIS processing times

USCIS publishes the time in which 80% of cases complete, per form, category, and office. The table below renders from our automatically maintained copy of the official data — always verify against the live system before relying on a deadline.

Frequently asked questions

When can I apply for citizenship?

After 5 years as a permanent resident. If married to a US citizen and you’ve lived together for the last 3 years, you can apply after 3 years. Exceptions exist for military service members.

Do I need to speak English perfectly?

You need sufficient English to pass the tests: reading, writing, listening comprehension, and basic conversation with the officer. Age/residency exceptions: 50+ with 20+ years of residency, or 55+ with 15+ years, can take the exam in their native language.

How many questions are on the civics exam?

The officer asks 10 questions about US history and government, chosen from a public list of 100 (or 128 under the 2020 version). You must answer at least 6 of 10 correctly. USCIS publishes the full question bank on uscis.gov.

Can citizenship be denied?

Yes. Common reasons: failing residency/physical presence, lack of good moral character (crimes), fraud on prior applications, failure to pay taxes, failure to register for Selective Service if required. If denied, you can appeal or re-apply.

Do I lose my original nationality when naturalizing?

Depends on your origin country’s laws. Many countries allow dual citizenship (Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina). Others do NOT (Cuba historically, some cases). The US allows dual — the conflict is with your origin country’s law. Consult your consulate.

The eligibility math: residence, presence, and breaks

Three different clocks run at once, and applicants regularly confuse them:

• Continuous residence — 5 years as a permanent resident (3 years under the marriage rule). Trips abroad of 6–12 months create a rebuttable presumption that you broke residence; trips of 12+ months break it automatically and restart most of the clock.
• Physical presence — at least half the statutory period actually inside the US (913 days for the 5-year rule, 548 for the 3-year rule). Count your days; CBP’s I-94 travel history helps reconstruct them.
• State residency — 3 months living in the state or USCIS district where you file.

The 90-day early filing rule softens the wait: you can file the N-400 up to 90 days before completing the continuous-residence period — but every other requirement must already be met on filing day.

“Good moral character”: what actually gets applications denied

USCIS examines the statutory period (5 or 3 years) — but can look further back. The issues that show up most in real denials:

The N-400 is reviewed against your entire immigration file. Inconsistencies with prior applications (different employment dates, undisclosed trips) trigger more denials than the issues themselves. If anything above applies to you, a consultation before filing is money well spent — a denied N-400 costs the full fee and can expose deeper problems. See how to find an immigration attorney.

The interview, blow by blow

The interview notice arrives roughly 2–6 months after biometrics. What actually happens in the room:

1. Oath to tell the truth, then the officer walks through your N-400 — every answer is fair game, and updates since filing (new trips, new job, new address) should be volunteered.
2. English test woven in: the officer evaluates your speaking through the interview itself, then asks you to read one sentence aloud and write one sentence.
3. Civics test: up to 10 questions from the official list of 100; 6 correct passes, and the test stops at 6.
4. Decision: many applicants leave with an approval recommendation the same day. The legal decision window is 120 days from the interview.

If you fail the English or civics portion, you get one free retest of only the failed portion, typically 60–90 days later. Failing twice means denial — but you can refile immediately.

Exemptions worth knowing: age 50 with 20 years as a resident (or 55/15) exempts you from English — the interview happens in your language with an interpreter; age 65 with 20 years also gets a simplified civics list of 20 questions. A documented disability can waive both via Form N-648, completed by a doctor.

Paying for it — or not

The April 2024 fee schedule built in reduced fees, and many applicants overpay needlessly:

• Full fee: $760 paper / $710 online
• Reduced fee ($380): household income between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines — claimed directly on the N-400, no separate form
• Full waiver ($0, Form I-912): income at or below 150% FPG, or receipt of a means-tested benefit (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, TANF)

In real dollars for the current guidelines: 150% FPG is $23,940 a year for a single person and $49,500 for a family of four; the 400% reduced-fee ceiling for a family of four is $132,000 (48 contiguous states — Alaska and Hawaii run higher). These figures recompute automatically each January when HHS updates the guidelines.

A waiver or reduced-fee request that’s rejected returns the whole package unprocessed, so document income carefully (tax return, benefit award letter).

After the oath: the first-month checklist

Citizenship is legally effective at the oath ceremony — and several systems need to hear about it:

1. Certificate of Naturalization — check every field at the ceremony before leaving; corrections later require Form N-565 and months of waiting.
2. US passport — apply with the certificate (DS-11); most new citizens do this within days. The certificate is the only proof you have, so consider the passport card too.
3. Social Security — update your status at SSA so work-authorization flags clear and benefits calculate correctly.
4. Voter registration — often available at the ceremony itself.
5. Petition for family — citizens can file I-130s for parents, married children, and siblings, and spouse/minor-children petitions jump to the immediate-relative category with no visa queue.
6. State records — driver’s license and, where relevant, professional licenses.

If the N-400 is denied

A denial letter states the reason and your right to a hearing before a different officer (Form N-336) within 30 days — it’s a genuine second look, not a rubber stamp, and new evidence is allowed. Past the N-336, federal district court review exists. But the most common path after denial is simpler: fix the underlying issue (file the missing tax returns, wait out the statutory period after a DUI) and refile — there’s no penalty or waiting period beyond the issue itself.

Related information

• Other USCIS forms
• Federal and state procedures
• Consulates of your country in the USA

Last verified: 2026-05-24. General information — not legal advice. Fees, requirements, and times change frequently. Always verify at USCIS.gov before filing.

Related procedural information

• Consulate of your country in the US — passport renewal, consular ID, document apostille
• ITIN — file federal taxes without SSN — required regardless of immigration status
• USCIS form library — federal immigration forms (I-130, I-485, N-400, etc.)
• Find an immigration attorney — pro bono lists + AILA + BIA-recognized
• Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — constitutional protections