Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
In most cases, an applicant for naturalization must be a permanent resident (green card holder) before filing. Except for certain U.S. military members and their dependents, naturalization can only be granted in the United States.
You May Qualify for Naturalization if:
· You have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirements. See the “General Path to Naturalization” link under “Citizenship by Naturalization” to the left.
· You have been a permanent resident for 3 years or more and meet all eligibility requirements to file as a spouse of a U.S. citizen. See the “Spouses of U.S. Citizens” link under “Citizenship by Naturalization” to the left.
· You have qualifying service in the U.S. armed forces and meet all other eligibility requirements. See the “Information for Members of the Military and Their Families” link to the right.
· Your child may qualify for naturalization if you are a U.S. citizen, the child was born outside the U.S., the child is currently residing outside the U.S., and all other eligibility requirements are met.
Note: You may also qualify through other paths to naturalization if you do not qualify through the paths described on the links to the left. See the “A Guide to Naturalization” link to the right. Chapter 4 of the guide discusses who is eligible for Naturalization.
How to Apply for Naturalization
· Prepare for taking the naturalization test before you apply. We have educational materials and resources to help you prepare. For more information, see the “Naturalization Test” link to the left.
· For applicants eligible pursuant to sections 316, 319, 328, and 329 of the INA, file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Find Form N-400 in the “Citizenship and Naturalization Based Forms” link to the right. For more information, see the “How Do I Apply for U.S. Citizenship” link to the right. To learn about sections 316, 319, 328 and 329 if the INA, see the “INA” link to the right.
· Applicants eligible pursuant to sections 328 and 329 of the INA should also file Form N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service, and Form G-325B, Biographic Information. To learn about sections 328 and 329 of the INA, see the “INA” link to the right.
· For a child eligible pursuant to section 322 of the INA, a Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322, may be filed on behalf of the child. To learn about section 322 of the INA, see the “ Biological or Adopted Children Residing Outside the United States” link to the left under “Citizenship Through Parents” and the “INA” link to the right.
Note: You may already be a U.S. citizen and not need to apply for naturalization if your biological or adoptive parent(s) became a U.S. citizen before you reached the age of 18. See the “Citizenship through Parents” link to the left.