Who may apply for Citizenship?
To apply for U S Citizenship:
- The applicant must be at least 18 years old. If you are younger than 18 you can be petitioned by a resident adult (usually a parent).
- The applicant must be lawfully admitted to the U.S.
- The applicant must be a lawful permanent resident for 5 years or more.
- The applicant must be a lawful permanent resident for 3 years or more, if married to a U.S. citizen.
- If the applicant is applying as a spouse of a U.S. Citizen, they must be married to and living with the same citizen spouse all that time.
- Military Veterans are exempted from the residency and physical presence requirements after serving in the US military for three years. The applicant must be honorably discharged from service and be of good moral character. Form N-426 (Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service) is submitted together with the original application.
- The applicant must be physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months in the last five years.
- The applicant must live for at least three months in the state or USCIS district of filing.
- The applicant must show a required level of proficiency in reading, writing and understanding the English language.
- The applicant must be of a good moral character.
- The applicant must adhere to the provisions of the US Constitution
- The applicant must know the history and precepts of the US Government
- The applicant must be willing to take the Oath of Allegiance, renounce all foreign allegiances and titles, agree to bear arms in the military service, avow to support the Constitution and agree to obey all the US laws.
The list above contains the general requirements and may vary depending on each individual case, there may be requirements other than listed above.
What documents are required?
- Color passport photographs on white background, 2x2 inches
- Form N-400
- A photocopy of a Lawful Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
- A photocopy of your current marital status document, evidence of your and/or your spouse’s previous marriage(s) termination
- Military records and spouses of military personnel documents
- Passport and Travel Documents
- State-issued ID (e.g., Driver’s License)
- Legal name change evidence
- A Birth Certificate or Naturalization Certificate of the applicant’s spouse (if necessary)
- Selective Service Registration (if necessary)
- Arrests/convictions reports (if necessary)
The list may vary depending on each individual case, you may be requested additional documents other than listed above.
How long does it take?
The Naturalization application process usually takes 5 to 6 months. The exact time depends on each individual case.
- After you apply for U S Citizenship, the USCIS confirms the receipt within 1-2 weeks.
- The Biometrics appointment is scheduled within 3-5 weeks.
- The Naturalization interview is scheduled within 2-3 months.
- The applicant is notified whether the application was granted, continued or denied 3-5 weeks later.
- Oath of Allegiance ceremony is scheduled in 1-3 weeks when the applicant also obtains the Certificate of Naturalization.
This information is approximate and does not guarantee that the actual timeline of your application will be the same.
How much does it cost?
U.S. government fees are mandatory and nonrefundable:
- Initial form (N-400) filing fee: $640
- USCIS Biometrics Services: $85
Fee Exceptions:
- Applicants of 75 years of age and older do not pay the biometrics fee.
- Military applicants under sections 318 or 329 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act do not pay any fees at all.
- Low-income applicants may be entitled to reduced fees after filing Form I-942 Request for Reduced Fee.
The total cost can vary. The figures above do not include attorney fees, professional assistance fees, travel costs, securing needed documents, etc. Government fees may change by the decision of the government.
Application advisory fee charged by Immigrate.tech: $299
Application tips:
- Submit your valid and up-to-date official documents
- Do not provide false, misleading or fraudulent information or documents
- Answer all of the questions honestly
- Avoid spelling mistakes
- Provide as much information as you can