If you want to apply, make sure you meet all of the requirements listed below. In limited cases and if there are special facts, some exceptions to the general requirements may apply.

You must meet all of the following requirements before you file your application to become a U.S. Citizen.

1. You are at least 18 years old;

2. You have had a green card for at least 5 years;

3. Continuous Residence: You have been living in the U.S. continuously for 5 years since getting your green card and must be living in the U.S. before you file; or if you are married to a U.S. Citizen, you have been continuously living in the U.S. for 3 years since getting your green card and must be living in the U.S. before you file;

4. Physical Presence: You have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months (or 18 months if you are married to a US citizen) since getting your green card and immediately before you file your application;

5. You are a person of good moral character (see below for what this really means);

6. You can read, write, and speak basic English;

7. You have general knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government;

8. You must be willing to take the Oath of Allegiance; and

9. You must be a resident of the state where you plan to apply for naturalization for at least 3 months immediately before applying.

Continuous residence: After you get your green card, you must continuously live in the U.S. for at least 5 years (or at least 3 years if married to a U.S. Citizen) before you can apply to be a US citizen. Continuous residence means you have to actually live in the U.S. without interruption vs. just traveling in every now and then. You can’t live outside of the U.S. for more than 6 months, otherwise you will break your continuous residence in the U.S. and have to start over by waiting 4 years and 1 day once you return to the U.S. You have to continue to live in the U.S. from the date you file the application until you get sworn in as a US citizen.

Physical presence: The physical presence requirement may seem like the same as the continuous residence requirement, but it is actually separate. As a green card holder, you can travel outside of the U.S. but no one trip can exceed 6 months. After you get your green card, you must be physically present in the U.S. for at 30 months (or at least 18 months if married to a U.S. citizen) immediately before you apply for naturalization.

Three month residence in state: You must the application with the state where you live, and you must have lived in that state for at least 3 months before applying. If you recently moved and have not yet lived in the state for 3 months, you need to wait until you reach the 3 months before you file your application.

You have to show that you are a person of “good moral character.” In general, this means that you have not been arrested or convicted of certain crimes. For example: you cannot lie to the USCIS to get an immigration benefit or lie about being a U.S. Citizen.

If you have been convicted of a crime, depending on how serious the crime is, you could be automatically or temporarily barred from applying for naturalization. Certain crimes may also result in you losing your green card and being removed from the U.S. All crimes have to be disclosed on the application form, even if they were later dropped.

The next step is to complete Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, file it with the government and pay the filing fee. You can file your application by mailing it to USCIS or by filing it online. You will get a receipt notice, and you can use the receipt number to track the processing of your case online at uscis.gov. You can also prepare your application with the help of TrueVisa. As part of the TrueVisa application an attorney will review your N-400 to make sure you're on the right track.

USCIS will send you a notice that lists your appointment date, time, and address where to appear and submit your biometrics. At the biometrics appointment, they will scan your fingerprints and will take your digital photo. USCIS will use the biometrics to conduct a background check. Typically, the biometrics appointment is scheduled within 1 - 4 months after you file your application.

USCIS will then schedule you for an interview and send you a notice that lists the interview date, time, and address of the local USCIS office. During the interview, the USCIS officer will verify that all of the information on your application form is correct and that you meet all of the legal requirements for naturalization. The USCIS officer will also give you an English test and a civics test. You have two chances to pass the English and Civics test.

The USCIS officer will give you an English test to make sure you can read, write, and speak basic English. The interview will be done in English; and the officer will ask you to read a sentence aloud and will ask you to write a sentence in English.

The USCIS officer will also test your general knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government. The officer will ask you up to 10 questions from a list of 100 questions. To pass the test, you must answer verbally at least 6 questions correctly. You can review the list of 100 civic questions and the answers here.

Some applicants do not have to take the English test and/or the Civics Test if they are of a certain age or if they have a physical or development disability. Learn more about the exemptions here.

After USCIS approves your application, you will receive an approval notice in the mail and a notice to attend the Oath of Allegiance ceremony. At the oath ceremony, you will turn in your physical green card and take the Oath of Allegiance. USCIS will issue you a Certificate of Naturalization, which you can use to apply for a U.S. passport.

USCIS publishes the processing times online and you can view them here https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ Processing times of naturalization applications typically take 12 to 18 months from the date of filing, but they are subject to change and without notice. Processing times also vary depending on the State where you live. You can track the status of your case online here case status online.

If you move while your application is pending, it is very important to notify USCIS of your address change to make sure that you receive all mail and notices from the USCIS regarding your case. You will need to file Form AR-11, which can be found at uscis.gov

It is important to meet the legal requirements after you file the application and up until you become a U.S. citizen. For example, you cannot live outside of the US for 6 months or more after you file your application. You must continue to live in the U.S. until you complete the application process. The same applies to all other legal requirements.

Final tip 💡 Check with an immigration attorney regarding changes in circumstances and before making any international travel plans.

We hope you found this information helpful. Please reach out to the TrueVisa team if you have any additional questions or concerns.