How does one become a naturalized citizen

Establishing Eligibility to File Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

As a permanent resident, you are generally eligible for naturalization after five years. This is the most common way that people apply to become a U.S. citizen.

To qualify, you must have lived in the U.S. continuously for the five years immediately preceding the date you file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The Immigration and Nationality Act (Title III, Chapter 2) details all of the citizenship requirements for a 5-year permanent resident. We break it down in simple terms here.

U.S. Citizenship Requirements for 5-Year Permanent Resident

Establishing Eligibility to File Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

As a permanent resident, you are generally eligible for naturalization after five years. This is the most common way that people apply to become a U.S. citizen.

To qualify, you must have lived in the U.S. continuously for the five years immediately preceding the date you file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The Immigration and Nationality Act (Title III, Chapter 2) details all of the citizenship requirements for a 5-year permanent resident. We break it down in simple terms here.

An applicant for naturalization must meet the following citizenship requirements:

Alternative Paths to Citizenship

Married to a U.S. Citizen

If you’re a permanent resident that’s married to a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible to naturalize after just three years.

U.S. Armed Forces

If you've served at least one year in the U.S. Armed Forces, you may be eligible to naturalize now.

Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

Lawful permanent residents use Form N-400, (Application for Naturalization) to apply for U.S. citizenship. The form starts a review process of your entire immigration history. Each year, USCIS rejects or denies thousands of N-400 applications that don't satisfy the citizenship requirements. Therefore, it's important to get it right.

last year

0,413

N-400 forms were filed*

approximately

0,356

applications were rejected*

and another

0,779

got denied*

How CitizenPath Helps You Apply for Naturalization

CitizenPath's self-directed service makes preparing USCIS forms easy. Designed by lawyers, our platform will help you eliminate the common errors that create delays, rejections and even denials. The low-cost service also provides alerts if you answer a question in a way that might be a problem. We'll make sure you meet all the citizenship requirements before applying. Most people can prepare the naturalization package within a couple of hours.

The online service is a powerful, do-it-yourself tool that puts you in control. And we've got your back -- CitizenPath provides live customer support and guarantees that USCIS will approve your application.

Who is eligible to become a citizen

To become a U.S. citizen you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be 18 years of age or older.
• You must have authorization to live and work in the U.S. on a permanent basis (informally known as a green card) for at least five years (or three years, if married to a United States citizen).
• You must have continuous residence in the U.S. for at least five years (or three years, if married to a United States citizen) and be physically present in the U.S. for at least half that time.
• Must be able to read, write and speak basic English.
  • Some people do not have to speak English at all or answer any questions about United States history and civics, depending on many factors such as their age, time in the U.S. as green card holders, and if they have a disability. For more information about language exceptions, disability exceptions, and accommodations, click here.
• Must have a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. history and government.
• You must be a person of “good moral character.”
• You must take a loyalty oath to the United States and support the Constitution and form of government of the United States.

For more information about the path to citizenship, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

Application Information

You must complete an application that includes the following information:

• Personal information about you, your parents, your spouse, and your children (if applicable)
• Any arrests you may have had
• Where you worked during the last 5 years
• Where you lived during the last 5 years
• Where you traveled outside of the United States over the last 5 years

The application fee is $725 (including the $85 biometric services fee). Some people are eligible to have this fee waived or to pay a reduced fee.

• To see if you are eligible for a fee waiver or the reduced fee for the naturalization application, use our fee waiver calculator.