How to Apply for US Citizenship in 2026: Step-by-Step N-400 Guide

You apply for US citizenship by filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, with USCIS once you meet the residence, physical presence and good moral character requirements. As of October 2026 the fee is $760 on paper or $710 online, and the process runs from filing through biometrics, an interview with English and civics tests, and finally the Oath of Allegiance.

Key points

• Most applicants qualify after 5 years as a permanent resident, or 3 years if married to and living with a US citizen.
• You can file up to 90 days before your 5-year or 3-year anniversary.
• N-400 fees (G-1055 edition 10/07/26): $760 paper, $710 online, $380 reduced fee (paper only), or $0 with an approved fee waiver.
• If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 civics test: up to 20 questions, 12 correct to pass.
• Online filing is optional today, but USCIS now has the legal authority to make it mandatory for the N-400 with 60 days’ notice.

Step 1: Confirm you are eligible

The general rules under INA 316 require you to:

Requirement	5-year path	3-year path (marriage)
Time as a permanent resident	5 years	3 years
Continuous residence	5 years	3 years
Physical presence in the US	At least 30 months	At least 18 months
Residence in your state or USCIS district	3 months before filing	3 months before filing
Marriage	Not required	Married to and living with the same US citizen spouse, who has been a citizen for the full 3 years

You must also be at least 18, show good moral character for the statutory period, show attachment to the principles of the Constitution, and pass the English and civics tests unless an exemption applies.

The two rules people most often mix up are continuous residence and physical presence. A single trip of more than 6 months can raise a presumption that you broke continuous residence, even if your total days abroad are low. We explain this with worked travel examples in N-400 eligibility: continuous residence vs physical presence. If you are applying through marriage, read US citizenship through marriage: the 3-year rule.

Military members and veterans may qualify under INA 328 or 329 with shorter or no residence periods and no filing fee. Their rules are different enough that they should use USCIS military naturalization resources.

Step 2: Work out your filing date

USCIS lets you file up to 90 calendar days before you complete the continuous residence requirement. The date on your green card (“Resident Since”) is your starting point. The N-400 page has an early filing calculator. Filing too early is one of the most common reasons USCIS rejects or denies an N-400, and the fee is not refunded.

Count your physical presence at the same time. Make a list of every trip outside the US during the statutory period, with departure and return dates. You need this list for the form anyway.

Step 3: Gather your documents

Requirements vary with your history, but most applicants need:

1. A copy of both sides of your green card.
2. The fee, or Form I-912 (fee waiver) or proof of household income for the reduced fee.
3. A complete travel history for the statutory period.
4. Five years of residence and employment or school history.
5. Marriage history, and for the 3-year path, proof that your spouse has been a citizen for 3 years and that you live together.
6. Tax information. Officers commonly ask whether you filed returns, so IRS tax transcripts are useful.
7. Court records for any arrest, citation or charge, even if it was dismissed or expunged.
8. Evidence of child support payments, if you have children who do not live with you.

Under the August 2025 good moral character memo (PM-602-0188), officers weigh positive factors such as community involvement, stable employment, caregiving and tax compliance, as well as negative ones. It is worth including evidence of those positive factors. See good moral character for US citizenship for what changed.

Step 4: Pay the correct fee

These are the N-400 fees on the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055 edition 10/07/26:

Situation	Fee
Paper filing	$760
Online filing	$710
Household income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (paper only, with documentation)	$380
Approved fee waiver (Form I-912, paper only)	$0
Military service under INA 328 or 329	$0

There is no separate biometrics fee for the N-400. If the fee is wrong, USCIS rejects the application, so check the fee schedule again the week you file.

Step 5: File online or on paper

Online: create a USCIS online account, complete the form, upload evidence and pay by card or bank withdrawal. Online filing costs $50 less, lets you see notices in your account, and makes it easier to answer requests for evidence.

Paper: use the current edition of Form N-400 (edition 01/20/25 as of October 2026) and mail it to the lockbox listed on the N-400 page for your state. You must file on paper if you are asking for a fee waiver or the reduced fee.

About mandatory e-filing: an interim final rule published in August 2026 lets USCIS require online filing for a form once it has been available online for at least 180 days, as long as USCIS gives at least 60 days’ public notice. The N-400 is one of the forms that meets the 180-day test. As of October 11, 2026, USCIS had not announced that the N-400 must be filed online, and comments on the rule close October 13, 2026. If USCIS does designate it, applicants who cannot file online would be able to ask for an exception. Check our updates page before you file.

Step 6: Attend biometrics

USCIS sends a receipt notice (Form I-797C) and then an appointment notice for an Application Support Center. Officers take your fingerprints, photo and signature for background checks. Some applicants whose fingerprints are already on file are not called in. Bring the appointment notice and your green card.

Step 7: Prepare for the interview and tests

The interview notice tells you where and when to appear. At the interview, an officer:

• places you under oath and reviews your N-400 answers;
• tests your English: speaking (judged during the interview), reading (read 1 of 3 sentences correctly) and writing (write 1 of 3 sentences correctly);
• gives the civics test.

Which civics test you take depends on when you filed:

N-400 filed	Test	Questions asked	To pass	Test stops at
On or after Oct 20, 2025	2025 civics test (128-question bank)	Up to 20	12 correct	12 correct or 9 incorrect
Before Oct 20, 2025	2008 civics test (100-question bank)	Up to 10	6 correct	6 correct or 5 incorrect

Applicants who are 65 or older and have been permanent residents for 20 or more years get special consideration: 10 questions from a special list of 20, with 6 correct needed, in the language of their choice. Some older long-term residents also skip the English test. See citizenship test exemptions.

Answers about officeholders must name whoever holds the office on your interview day. You can drill all 128 questions on our free US citizenship practice test, which runs the 2025 format: 20 questions, a pass at 12 correct, and a stop at 12 correct or 9 wrong, plus a 65/20 mode with 10 of the 20 starred questions. For what the interview itself feels like, read the US citizenship interview: what to expect.

USCIS may also carry out a personal or “neighborhood” investigation. An August 22, 2025 memo (PM-602-0189) ended the general waiver of these checks, so officers can, at their discretion, contact neighbors or employers about the 5 years before you filed. Most applicants will never see one, but your answers on the form should match what people who know you would say.

Step 8: Get the decision

After the interview you receive Form N-652 with one of three results:

• Granted: the officer recommends approval. Some offices offer a same-day oath.
• Continued: USCIS needs more evidence, or you must retake a test portion you failed. Retests take place 60 to 90 days after the first interview and cover only the part you failed. See failed the citizenship test? What happens next.
• Denied: you receive a written decision. You can request a hearing with Form N-336 within 30 days. As of October 2026 the fee is $830 on paper or $780 online.

Step 9: Take the Oath of Allegiance

You become a US citizen only when you take the oath at a naturalization ceremony. You hand in your green card and receive a Certificate of Naturalization. Check the certificate for errors before you leave. After that you can apply for a US passport and update your Social Security record.

How long does it take?

Processing times depend on your field office and change from month to month. Use the official USCIS processing times tool and select Form N-400 and your office. If your case is outside the posted time, you can submit an online case inquiry.

Delays in 2025 and 2026 have been linked to heavier vetting. For nationals of the 39 countries on the travel ban, USCIS introduced adjudication holds in December 2025. The US District Court for the District of Rhode Island vacated those holds on June 5, 2026 (Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS). On August 14, 2026, the First Circuit partially stayed that ruling, so as of October 2026 USCIS may re-review previously approved benefits for travel-ban nationals who entered on or after January 20, 2021. The general hold on adjudications remains vacated. If you are from an affected country, talk to an immigration lawyer before you file.

When to get legal help

Speak to a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative before filing if you have any arrest or conviction, unfiled taxes, long trips abroad, a past immigration violation, claimed US citizenship at any point, or registered to vote. Some of these issues can make you removable as well as ineligible to naturalize.

What to do next

1. Check your eligibility date with the USCIS early filing calculator.
2. List every trip abroad and every address and job for the statutory period.
3. Decide between online filing ($710) and paper filing ($760, or the $380 reduced fee).
4. Start practicing civics now with the US citizenship practice test.
5. Bookmark the US country hub and updates page for fee and policy changes.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Last checked against USCIS sources on October 11, 2026.