What You Must Know to Be Granted Us Citizenship

How to Use for Citizenship by Naturalization

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Central Takeaways

If yous are a U.South. Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Carte du jour-holder), who meets the residency and groundwork-check requirements, you can apply for Citizenship past Naturalization. There are many benefits to becoming a U.S. citizen. For example, once you become a U.Southward. citizen, you volition be able to vote in U.S. elections, come and become from the U.Southward. as you please, and apply for your eligible family members to receive U.S. Green Cards. The application process is pretty straightforward. For near people, it costs $725 and takes 7-15 months. This article explains how to apply for U.Due south. citizenship in 9 easy steps.

ImmigrationHelp.org can help you lot effigy out if you are eligible to utilize for citizenship using our free web application. If you are, we can besides assist you fix and file the required paperwork.

Step one. Are you already a U.S. citizen?

To begin, you should ostend that you are non already a U.South. citizen. Some essential questions to ask are: Were you born in the U.S.? Do y'all take at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen by birth or past Naturalization? If your parent is a U.Southward. citizen, are you under 18 years? If so, you are likely already a U.S. citizen and do not need to apply for Naturalization. If you are not a U.S. denizen by birth, or you lot did non larn U.S. citizenship from your parents automatically after nascence, you tin go along to the adjacent step. This tool tin can help yous determine if you are a U.Due south. denizen. Yous can also read more about the Naturalization procedure on the USCIS website.

Step 2. Are y'all eligible to get a U.Due south. citizen?

Now that you are sure that you aren't already a U.Due south. citizen, information technology is time to make up one's mind whether y'all can become a U.S. citizen. With a few exceptions, applicants for U.S. citizenship need to run across the following requirements:

Must be at least 18 years old
Must have been a Green Card holder for at least five years. During these five years, must not have spent more than 30 full months outside the U.Southward.
Must have lived in the same U.South. state for at least iii months earlier applying for Naturalization
Must know the fundamentals of U.South. history and the U.S. regime
Must be able to speak, read and write English
Must be in good moral standing

You can determine whether you are eligible for U.S. citizenship by completing the U.Southward. Citizenship and Clearing Service (USCIS)' Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet. The worksheet contains extensive information that explains the application requirements and any exceptions.
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If you would similar some help with your application, we can help y'all apply for U.Southward. citizenship by Naturalization with our simple spider web app.

Footstep three. Prepare your citizenship awarding - Form N-400

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After determining that you are eligible for U.S. citizenship, information technology is time to prepare your citizenship awarding. Grade Due north-400, Application for Naturalization is the form to submit for citizenship. You can download Form North-400 from the USCIS website. Form Northward-400 is a lengthy form, but that is considering information technology assesses your entire immigration history in the U.S. Don't be overwhelmed by the length of the form, though - the tips below will assist you fill up it out correctly.
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To complete Course North-400 you will need to have the post-obit documents and information on hand:

1. Social Security Number

If y'all have a Social Security card, you will need to enter your Social Security Number on the application. If you don't accept a Social Security card, this does not apply to y'all. However, if you have a Social Security carte that is lost or stolen, you should study information technology to the Social Security Assistants and become a new one.

2. Permanent Resident Card or Green Card

You volition need to enter the engagement that you became a permanent resident/Greenish Carte du jour holder and your Alien Registration Number on Form Northward-400. You can find this information on your Green Card. If your Light-green Carte is missing or has been stolen, you must employ for a new one before filing your citizenship awarding. To request a new Dark-green Card, you have to submit Form I-90. If your Light-green Bill of fare is expired at the time of filing for citizenship, you can renew it. Renewing the Green Card takes 10-12 months, only you do not accept to wait until you have the renewed Green Card in manus to employ for citizenship. Once yous receive the class I-797C receipt detect from USCIS after filing Form I-90, you can mail that in with the rest of your immigration packet at the time of submission. You should annotation, notwithstanding, that if yous choose to file for citizenship while renewing your Dark-green Card, you lot will be without evidence of permanent residence for things like accepting a new chore, taking trips outside of the U.Due south., and renewing I.D. such as your driver'southward license. This is something to keep in mind when deciding to apply for citizenship while renewing your Green Card at the same time.

3. Information well-nigh whatever electric current or former spouses, if applicable

If you have ever been married, or if you are currently married, you will demand to enter information nearly your current or old spouses on Grade N-400.

four. Information most your children, if applicative

If yous accept e'er had whatever children (fifty-fifty if they are deceased), yous will need to enter data about them on Form N-400. This also applies to any children that no longer alive with you lot.

5. Accost information

USCIS requires yous to submit a list of all the addresses you have lived at in the five years that you have been a Green Card holder. If you have been married to a U.S. denizen prior to your citizenship application, y'all must submit a list of 3 years worth of all the addresses you accept lived at while married to the U.Southward. citizen.

6. Educational activity and employment data

If yous have been enrolled in school or employed at a job in the time before applying for citizenship, you must provide the organization name, address, and the length of time yous spent there, for each school or job. USCIS will use this data to deport a background cheque. If you have been married to a U.Southward. denizen before filing for citizenship, USCIS requires the past 3 years' worth of this information. If you have not been married to a U.South. citizen, USCIS requires the past five years' worth of this information.

7. Travel Dates

If you lot made whatever 24-hour or longer trip outside of the U.S. in the five years prior to applying for citizenship, yous will need to provide data virtually your trips on the Form N-400. A proficient mode to be sure that you have included all the relevant information is to review your e-mail and bank statements for whatsoever travel records. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) access stamps in your passport may also be good reminders of trips you have taken abroad.

8. Selective Service Registration information, if applicable

U.S. law requires all male U.Due south. citizens and Greenish Menu holders between the ages of xviii and 25 to register with the Selective Service Organisation (SSS) within xxx days of their 18th birthdays. The Selective Service Arrangement is an independent agency that keeps a record of U.South. citizens, permanent residents, undocumented aliens, refugees, and aviary seekers eligible to become drafted into the military. Registering with the SSS doesn't automatically hateful you lot have signed up to join the military. Although registering with the SSS is mandatory, a registered person volition just be drafted into the military in a crisis. You can read all virtually the SSS and registration on their website. If you have already registered with the Selective Service System, you lot tin can retrieve an Official Letter of Registration from their website to submit to USCIS. If you lot are eligible but have non registered, you should register on the website before submitting your citizenship application. SSS registration counts towards USCIS' expert moral standing requirement. So if you did not register while betwixt ages 18 and 25, and are now no longer eligible to register, it is wise to hold on to employ for citizenship until you accept turned 31.

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Nosotros can help you prepare your citizenship awarding for gratuitous using our unproblematic web app. For additional guidelines on how to complete your Citizenship by Naturalization awarding, you can review the easy-to-use filing guide on our website.

Step iv. Submit your citizenship application and pay the filing fees

When y'all have completed Form N-400, it's time to submit the completed form with its filing fees and its supporting documents to USCIS!

Form N-400 Filing Fees

The filing fee for Grade N-400 is $640. Yous will also demand to pay a Biometrics fee of $85 for each applicant who is not nether 14 years sometime or over 79 years old. You can pay these $725 in fees by check, money order, or credit/debit card. Checks and coin orders should be fabricated payable to the "U.S. Department of Homeland Security." If you would similar to pay by credit carte, you will need to submit a Form G-1450, Authority for Credit Card Transactions with your application.

Grade North-400 Supporting Documents

In add-on to the filing fees, nearly applicants need to include a photocopy of both sides of their Greenish Card and a photocopy of a certificate showing their current legal spousal relationship status. This could be a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or expiry certificate of a spouse. If you or whatever of the other applicants practice not have their Green Card, they tin can submit a photocopy of the Form I-797C receipt observe that USCIS sent them during renewal equally show instead. Depending on the results of the U.Southward. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)' Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet, USCIS may crave additional documents from some applicants. If they need more information, USCIS volition allow you know by sending you a "Request for Evidence."

You should include a cover letter of the alphabet that lists all of the forms, supporting documents, and fee payments in your bundle. This will help USCIS keep runway of your documents as they work on your application. This sample embrace letter is a good guide.

You can send your application packet to USCIS by mail or online.

Past Mail

Most IHO users file their N-400 packet by postal service. You can mail your full application bundle and fees to the relevant addresses listed hither under "Where to File." The address you use will depend on 1) what state you lot live in, and 2) what service you utilise to mail your package. You lot should transport your packet with tracking so that you can keep an eye on information technology.

Online

You can besides file your Northward-400 and supporting documents online here. If you lot utilise the IHO system to prepare your N-400, you can reference the Due north-400 form that we send you to answer the questions in the online USCIS awarding. You lot demand to make digital copies of your supporting documents so that you can upload them to the online portal. If you are applying based on your armed forces service, are applying from outside of the U.S., or are applying for a fee waiver or reduced fee, you lot cannot file your Form N-400 online.

‍How tin can I check the condition of my Class N-400, Application for Naturalization filing?

You lot tin bank check the status of your Grade N-400, Application for Naturalization online. Once y'all submit Course Due north-400, USCIS will send you lot a receipt detect. This receipt observe volition have a receipt number on the upper left corner. If y'all enter the receipt number into USCIS'south instance status tool, you will be able to see the status of your awarding. Yous tin can also bank check example processing times on the USCIS website to make sure that the corporeality of fourth dimension that you lot are waiting to hear back from USCIS is normal.

‍What should I practise if USCIS denies my awarding for Citizenship past Naturalization?

If USCIS denies your application for citizenship by Naturalization, you should speak with an immigration attorney. Y'all can find free or low-priced legal help at U.s..gov. To learn more about what to do if USCIS denies your Citizenship application, check out our Citizenship filing guide.

We can help y'all get your forms and filing fees to the correct place with our uncomplicated web application.

Step 5. Attend your biometrics appointment, if applicative

If yous are betwixt ages 14 and 79, USCIS will schedule a biometrics appointment for you afterwards you submit your citizenship awarding. The biometrics appointment takes identify at one of USCIS' local awarding service centers. You will find the location, date, and time of the appointment on the date detect (Form I-797C, Observe of Action) that USCIS sends yous. At the biometrics engagement, the USCIS staff volition take your photograph and fingerprints.

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Y'all can larn more about how to ready for your biometrics appointment on the USCIS website and in our comprehensive citizenship by naturalization filing guide.

Step 6. Complete your Naturalization interview

The Naturalization interview is one of the most important parts of the citizenship application procedure. About 14 months after you have submitted Form Northward-400, USCIS will transport you an appointment notice (Course I-797C, Discover of Activeness) with the date, time, and location for your Naturalization interview. This notice will as well list whatsoever other documents you will need to bring. The interview volition be at a USCIS field office that is shut to the zip code you provided with your concrete accost on Form North-400.

If you can not arrive to your interview on the date that USCIS provided, you can write to the USCIS field office you were directed to, asking to reschedule. Your new interview engagement may be months in the future.

The Naturalization interview volition focus on the information y'all provided on your Form Northward-400 and your immigration history in the U.Southward. Information technology unremarkably does not final more than than 20 minutes. You should reply all the questions that the USCIS officer asks you lot at the interview truthfully.

Yous volition almost ever have your citizenship exam on the same 24-hour interval as your Naturalization interview. The citizenship examination is an English and civics exam. Information technology is a good thought to fix for this examination well earlier the Naturalization interview.

The English language portion of the test examines three things - speaking, reading, and writing. You will be expected to speak English with a USCIS officer, read i out of three English sentences, and write one out of 3 English sentences.

The civics portion of the test is also in English language. Information technology will enquire you x questions virtually U.Due south. history and government. To pass the test, you need to get at least six of the x questions right. The ten questions on your civics test come from a larger pool of 100 questions. Yous can set up for the test by reviewing all 100 of these possible questions and their answers on the USCIS website.

If yous do non laissez passer both portions of the citizenship examination, y'all volition exist required to retake the exam portion that you failed at a futurity appointment. USCIS will schedule your exam retake after your initial interview and notify y'all of the date, time, and location.

‍Some immigrants practice not have to take the English language test. For example, if you are 50 years or older at the time of filing and take lived in the U.Due south. as a Greenish Menu holder for at least xx years, y'all are exempt from the English test. Yous as well don't have to take the examination if yous are 55 years or older at the time of filing and have lived in the U.S. every bit a Green Card holder for at least 15 years. If y'all are exempt from the English test, you may bring an interpreter to your interview. You may besides request one from USCIS. If you choose to bring your ain interpreter, they must bring a government-issued I.D. along when joining you for your interview. They must also complete an interpreter's oath and privacy statement at the USCIS field office.

If you are exempt from the English exam and the USCIS officer is fluent in your linguistic communication, they may choose to interview in your language.

If you accept a disability, you tin can inquire permission from the USCIS field function that y'all'll be visiting to bring a family unit fellow member or legal guardian along with you. The USCIS officer will decide whether your legal guardian or family member tin can be with y'all during the interview when you make it at the field part for your interview.

If y'all want to make sure USCIS respects your legal rights during the interview, you can bring an immigration chaser with you. To bring an chaser, y'all must submit a signed and completed Course G-28, Observe of Entry equally Appearance equally Attorney or Representative to USCIS before your interview. The attorney cannot answer whatever interview questions for you. If you cull not to be represented by an attorney, you lot must sign a waiver of representation at the interview.

USCIS regularly holds Naturalization Data Sessions that are free and open to the general public. You can attend one of these to learn more nearly the Naturalization process. You lot can also read more about the Naturalization process on our website.

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We can help you consummate your Naturalization forms, for gratuitous, and then that you are ready for your interview.

Stride seven. Wait for a determination from USCIS

Sometimes USCIS will requite you their decision on your citizenship application at the end of your Naturalization interview. If the USCIS officer does not requite you a decision at your interview, USCIS has upwards to 120 days post-obit your interview to requite you lot a decision in writing. You will receive USCIS' decision on your citizenship application on Form Northward-652, Discover of Test Results. USCIS will either "grant," "deny," or "continue" your application.

If the information on your North-400 is sufficient evidence that yous are eligible for citizenship, USCIS will grant yous citizenship.

If the information on the Form Northward-400 proves that you practise not qualify for citizenship, USCIS will deny your application.

If USCIS decides to " go on " your application, it ways that your application is on hold. Your application may exist put on hold because you failed some portion of your citizenship test and will need to retake it, or because it is missing some required documentation. If your application is missing required information or documents, USCIS will send you Form North-14, explaining what required information is missing, and where and how to send that information. You must send USCIS the information requested no later than 30 days after you receiveForm N-xiv. Yous can read more nigh USCIS notices on our website.

We tin help you get your application for Citizenship by naturalization right the outset time with our simple, gratuitous web app.

Footstep 8. Take the Oath of Allegiance to the United states

You are not a U.S. citizen until you take the Adjuration of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. If USCIS approves your citizenship application at your Naturalization interview, and there is a Naturalization ceremony occurring the aforementioned day, you may participate in the ceremony and go a U.S. citizen on the same 24-hour interval as your interview!

If a same-solar day Naturalization ceremony isn't an pick, or if USCIS approves your citizenship awarding in the 120 days following your interview, USCIS will mail service you a Grade N-445, Notice of Naturalization Ceremony. Form N-445 lists the date, time, and location of your scheduled ceremony, and contains a questionnaire that yous should fill before arriving at your scheduled ceremony. The questionnaire asks about whatsoever changes to your personal data in the fourth dimension between the interview and the anniversary. Some of the questions on the questionnaire are whether you have travelled exterior of the U.Due south., whether you were recently arrested, and whether you have recently married, separated or divorced.

When you report to your scheduled Naturalization ceremony, you must submit your Green Carte du jour and your completed Grade North-445 to the USCIS officeholder. The officer volition review your responses to the questionnaire on Form N-445. You will then take the Oath of Allegiance to become a U.South. denizen. This is what the oath says:

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abstain all allegiance and allegiance to any foreign prince, potentate, land, or sovereignty, of whom or which I take heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the U.s. of America confronting all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear truthful faith and allegiance to the aforementioned; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform civilian service in the Armed forces of the Us when required by the police force; that I will perform piece of work of national importance nether civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and so assistance me God."

Subsequently taking the Adjuration of Allegiance, you volition receive your Certificate of Naturalization. Y'all should review the certificate and warning the USCIS officer of any errors yous see on information technology before leaving the Naturalization ceremony.

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