Starting the how to get U. S. citizenship process takes preparation and meeting every legal requirement without mistakes. Even a small oversight can cause delays—or even a denial.
The process begins by confirming you meet the required time as a lawful permanent resident and the good moral character requirement. Then you file Form N-400 with USCIS, attend your biometrics appointment, and complete the interview and civics test. If everything is approved, the final step is the oath ceremony to officially become a U.S. citizen.
Below, we explain each step in detail, the specific requirements, and the most common mistakes to avoid so you can improve your chances of success.
What Is the Step-by-Step Process to Get U.S. Citizenship in 2026?
The process to get U.S. citizenship includes 10 steps:
#1 Determine Whether You’re Already a U.S. Citizen
If you were born in the U.S. or acquired U.S. citizenship through your parents, you may already be a citizen. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
Before you begin, it helps to confirm whether your case is based on permanent residence. That’s why it’s useful to understand how to get lawful permanent residence and what evidence is typically required.
#2 Confirm You’re Eligible
Use the USCIS eligibility tool to confirm you meet the requirements to apply for naturalization.
#3 Prepare Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization)
Create a USCIS online account, read the form instructions, gather the required documents, and if you live outside the U.S., obtain two passport-style photos.
#4 File Form N-400 and Pay the Fees
Submit the form online and pay the required fee. USCIS will send you a receipt notice, and you can track your case status.
#5 Attend Your Biometrics Appointment (If Required)
USCIS will notify you of the date, time, and location to collect your fingerprints and other biometrics.
#6 Complete the Interview
USCIS will schedule an interview. Be sure to arrive on time and bring your appointment notice to the field office.
#7 Receive a Decision From USCIS
Your application may be:
- Approved,
- Continued (if additional documentation is required or you did not pass the English or civics test), or
- Denied if you do not meet the eligibility requirements.
#8 Receive Your Oath of Allegiance Notice
If your application is approved, USCIS will send you a notice with the date, time, and location of your naturalization ceremony.
#9 Take the Oath of Allegiance
At the ceremony, you will:
- Complete Form N-445,
- Turn in your Green Card,
- Take the oath, and
- Receive your Certificate of Naturalization.
#10 Learn Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Citizen
Once you become a citizen, it’s important to understand the rights and responsibilities that come with U.S. citizenship.
What Do You Need to Become a U.S. Citizen?
To become a U.S. citizen through naturalization, you must meet basic immigration requirements. Here are the most important ones.
Have a Green Card and Meet the Required Time
In most cases, you must be a lawful permanent resident for 5 years. If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you may qualify after 3 years as a resident.
Meet U.S. Residency and Physical Presence Requirements
You must have lived at least 3 months in the state or USCIS district where you file. You must also:
- Maintain continuous residence, and
- Meet the minimum physical presence requirement: 30 months in the last 5 years, or 18 months in the last 3 years if you are applying based on marriage to a U.S. citizen.
If your residence is based on marriage, keep the interview process in mind and prepare your case with these marriage-based green card interview questions before moving forward toward citizenship.
Meet the Age Requirement
As a general rule, you must be at least 18 years old when you file Form N-400.
Show Good Moral Character
USCIS reviews this requirement carefully and has tightened its evaluation, often expecting applicants to show positive contributions to society—not just the absence of misconduct.
In fact, certain issues—like unlawful voting, registering to vote without eligibility, or falsely claiming U.S. citizenship—can affect eligibility.
Pass the English and Civics Test
You must demonstrate basic English and pass the civics test, unless you qualify for an exception.
On the civics test in effect since October 2025, the officer asks 20 questions selected from a bank of 128, and you must answer at least 12 correctly to pass.
Those who filed Form N-400 before October 20, 2025 take the prior 2008 civics test.
Exceptions Based on Age or a Medical Condition
There are exceptions and accommodations based on age and years as a permanent resident. For example, the 50/20 and 55/15 rules waive the English requirement but not the civics test.
The 65/20 rule allows you to take a simplified civics test of only 10 questions, and you must answer 6 correctly.
For those with a medical condition that prevents them from meeting the English and civics requirements, there is a medical waiver through Form N-648, which USCIS has also been reviewing more strictly.
File Form N-400 and Complete the Process
At this stage, you must:
- File Form N-400 with supporting documents,
- Pay the required fees,
- Attend your biometrics appointment if required, and
- Attend the interview with a USCIS officer.
If you are approved, you must attend the Oath of Allegiance ceremony to receive your Certificate of Naturalization.
How Do You Become a U.S. National?
There are several ways to obtain U.S. nationality/citizenship, depending on your personal situation.
By Birth in the U.S.
If you were born in U.S. territory, you are automatically a U.S. citizen under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, regardless of your parents’ nationality.
By Citizenship Through Parents (Citizens by Descent)
If you were born outside the U.S. but one or both parents are U.S. citizens, you may have automatically acquired citizenship at birth.
The rules vary depending on whether one or both parents are citizens and how long they lived in the U.S. before you were born.
By Naturalization (Most Common Path for Immigrants)
This is the process for lawful permanent residents. Key requirements include:
- Having had a Green Card for at least 5 years (or 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen).
- Living at least 3 months in the state where you file.
- Meeting the minimum physical presence requirement in the U.S.
- Being 18 or older.
- Showing good moral character.
- Passing the English and civics tests.
You apply by filing Form N-400 with USCIS, attending an interview, and—if approved—participating in the Oath of Allegiance ceremony.
Through Military Service
Members of the U.S. Armed Forces may qualify for naturalization with reduced or expedited requirements, and in some cases even without a Green Card.
Through Adoption
Minors adopted by U.S. citizens may automatically acquire citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act if they meet certain age and residency requirements.
In all cases, if you have questions about your specific situation, it’s best to consult the official USCIS eligibility tool.
What Are the Requirements for a Foreign National to Get U.S. Citizenship?
In general, the requirements to become a U.S. citizen include:
- Having a Green Card and meeting the required time: At least 5 years as a lawful permanent resident, or 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen.
- Residency and physical presence: Living at least 3 months in the state where you file and meeting the minimum physical presence requirement.
- Being 18 years old or older at the time you file Form N-400.
- Good moral character: USCIS reviews this carefully, including criminal history and overall conduct.
- Passing the civics and English tests: You must demonstrate basic English and pass the civics test, unless you qualify for an exception.
Important: If you are male and between 18 and 26 years old with a Green Card, you must be registered with the Selective Service System. If you did not register when required, you may submit a written explanation with supporting proof to USCIS.
When there are concerns about prior cases or criminal issues, it may be critical to evaluate how to file a motion to reopen an immigration case so a future naturalization application isn’t affected.
How Long Does the Naturalization Process Take?
The formal USCIS process typically takes 8 to 14 months from filing Form N-400 to the Oath of Allegiance ceremony, although it can take longer depending on the USCIS office and caseload volume.
On top of that, you must factor in the time it takes to become eligible—such as 5 years as a resident or 3 years through marriage to a U.S. citizen—which is often the longest part of the journey.
In total, from obtaining a Green Card to becoming a citizen, the overall timeline can take 6 to 10 years or more, depending on your situation.
How Do You Get Dual Citizenship or Dual Nationality?
Having dual citizenship (dual nationality) means being a citizen of the United States and another country at the same time. The U.S. generally allows it, but whether it works in practice depends on the other country’s laws.
What you should confirm is whether the other country recognizes dual nationality with the U.S., since some countries allow it and others do not. Countries like India, China, and the United Arab Emirates generally do not allow it.
What Is the 4 Years and 1 Day Rule for U.S. Citizenship?
The 4 years and 1 day rule applies when a lawful permanent resident breaks continuous residence by being outside the U.S. for one year or more.
In that situation, after returning, you must wait 4 years and 1 day of renewed continuous residence before applying for naturalization, instead of the usual full 5 years. This is because:
- USCIS allows you to file Form N-400 up to 90 days before completing the required residence period, and
- The law requires that the applicant have resided continuously in the U.S. for at least half of the required period immediately before filing.
So, four years and one day represents the minimum threshold to satisfy both conditions. For those qualifying through marriage to a U.S. citizen (a 3-year period), the equivalent rule is 2 years and 1 day.
To review the legal basis for continuous residence and physical presence, see INA Section 316 on Cornell LII and confirm your history meets the requirements.
Can I Lose U.S. Citizenship?
Although it is uncommon, U.S. citizenship can be lost in two ways:
- Voluntary renunciation: This is the most common way someone gives up citizenship. It must be done before a U.S. consular officer abroad.
- Expatriation: U.S. law recognizes certain acts that can lead to loss of citizenship, as long as they are done voluntarily and with the intent to give it up, including:
- Naturalizing in another country with the intent to give up U.S. citizenship.
- Taking an oath of allegiance to another country.
- Serving as an officer in the armed forces of a foreign country, or serving in the armed forces of a country at war with the U.S.
- Accepting a position in a foreign government after turning 18, if you hold that country’s citizenship.
- Committing treason or taking up arms against the U.S.
Keep in mind that simply obtaining another nationality is not enough to lose U.S. citizenship. In practice, the U.S. recognizes dual nationality, and citizenship is generally lost only through formal renunciation or an expatriating act carried out with intent.
What Challenges Can Arise When Applying for U.S. Citizenship?
Becoming a U.S. citizen has always required time and preparation. However, under Trump’s second administration, the process has reportedly become more difficult in several ways:
- Harder approvals: Citizenship cases are taking longer to process, and denials are up by 24%.
- Country-based “freezes”: Decisions have been put on indefinite hold for applicants from countries considered “high-risk,” including canceled interviews and oath ceremonies.
- Travel bans and restrictions: Since January 2026, entry has been limited or prohibited for nationals of almost 20% of the countries in the world.
- Stricter moral character review: Immigration officers are reportedly considering additional factors when evaluating good moral character.
- Greater risk of denaturalization: The government has announced plans to increase citizenship revocation cases, with USCIS offices reportedly referring 100 to 200 cases per month for legal review.
It’s also worth mentioning the attempted effort to end birthright citizenship, where President Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents or parents with temporary status. However, the order never took effect because multiple courts blocked it.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Get U. S. Citizenship
What’s the Easiest Way to Become a U.S. Citizen?
There isn’t an “easy” way to become a U.S. citizen. However, depending on your situation, you may be able to move faster through:
- Birth or citizenship through parents is the most direct path. If you were born in the U.S. or have at least one U.S. citizen parent, you may already be a citizen or may automatically qualify.
- Marriage to a U.S. citizen is often the fastest path for those who already have a Green Card.
- Standard naturalization is the most common route, but it typically requires maintaining lawful permanent residence for 5 years.
- Military service can reduce or eliminate certain residence requirements, but it comes with a service commitment.
This means that if you do not qualify through birth or parents, marriage to a U.S. citizen is often the shortest path.
To understand family-based petitions, see how a U.S. citizen can sponsor a sibling and typical timelines. It can also help to know how to petition for a child as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, depending on age and marital status.
Is It Hard to Apply for U.S. Citizenship?
Applying for U.S. citizenship is not usually “hard,” but it does require time, preparation, and meeting several requirements.
If you qualify, the process itself is relatively straightforward. The most challenging parts are often:
- The wait time: Five years as a lawful permanent resident before you can apply (or three years through marriage to a U.S. citizen).
- The civics test: It requires preparation. Since October 2025, the officer asks 20 questions from a bank of 128, and you must answer at least 12 correctly.
- English: You must show basic ability to read, write, and speak English, although there are exceptions based on age or medical condition.
- Processing times: USCIS can take months to process an application, depending on the local office and caseload.
For someone who meets the requirements and prepares appropriately, the process is manageable. The biggest hurdle is usually not the paperwork itself, but the long path to becoming eligible.
Is It Possible to Have Both Spanish and U.S. Citizenship?
Although there is no bilateral treaty formally recognizing dual citizenship between Spain and the United States, many people end up holding both.
This is largely because the U.S. generally treats citizenship as lost only if someone completes a formal renunciation at an embassy or consulate, which typically does not happen during the Spanish naturalization process—and vice versa.
How Can I Prove I’m Already a U.S. Citizen?
You can prove U.S. citizenship with the following documents:
- U.S. passport: The most commonly used and widely accepted document.
- Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550): For those who became citizens through naturalization.
- Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560): For those who acquired citizenship through parents or adoption.
- U.S. birth certificate: For those born in the U.S.
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240): For those born outside the U.S. to U.S. citizen parents whose birth was registered at a consulate.
A U.S. passport is often the preferred option because it combines proof of identity and citizenship in a single document.
If you lost your proof, see what to do if you lost your U.S. citizenship certificate and how to replace it properly.
How Curbelo Law Can Help With How to Get U. S. Citizenship
The process to become a U.S. citizen is lengthy—and today, more than ever, it can be filled with obstacles. From January to June 2025, the immigrant population in the U.S. reportedly fell by more than one million people, the first drop of this kind since the 1960s.
In this environment, working with an experienced immigration attorney can make a difference. Attorney Carolina T. Curbelo, founder of Curbelo Law, understands firsthand what the immigration process involves.
As the daughter of Cuban refugees who rebuilt their lives in New Jersey, Carolina has dedicated her career to helping immigrant families achieve what her own family achieved: solid legal status and a stable future in the U.S.
If you are considering starting the naturalization process, contact us today for a consultation.
