| Us Citizenship |
| How can I become a US citizen? |
| You may become a US citizen (1) by birth or (2) through naturalization. |
| Who is born a US citizen? |
| Generally, people are born US citizens if they are born in the United States or if they are born to US citizens. |
| If you were born in the United States |
| Including, in most cases, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, you are an American citizen at birth (unless you were born to a foreign diplomat). Your birth certificate is proof of your citizenship. |
| If you were born abroad to TWO US citizens |
| And at least one of your parents lived in the United States at some point in his or her life, then in most cases you are a US citizen. |
| If you were born abroad to ONE US citizen |
| In most cases, you are a US citizen if ALL of the following are true |
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One of your parents was a US citizen when you were born
Your citizen parent lived at least 5 years in the United States before you were born At least 2 of these 5 years in the United States were after your citizen parent's 14th birthday.1 Your record of birth abroad, if registered with a US consulate or embassy, is proof of your citizenship. You may also apply for a passport to have your citizenship recognized. If you need additional proof of your citizenship, you may file an "Application for Certificate of Citizenship" (Form N-600) with USCIS to get a Certificate of Citizenship. Call the USCIS Forms Line at 1-800- 870-3676 to request a Form N-600, or download the form from the internet at http://uscis.gov. |
| How do I become a naturalized citizen? |
| If you are not a US citizen by birth or did not acquire US citizenship automatically after birth, you may still be eligible to become a citizen through the normal naturalization process. People who are 18 years and older use the "Application for Naturalization" (Form N-400) to become naturalized. Persons who acquired citizenship from parent(s) while under 18 years of age use the "Application for a Certificate of Citizenship" (Form N-600) to document their citizenship. Qualified children who reside abroad use the "Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under Section 322" (Form N-600K) to document their naturalization. You may call the USCIS Forms Line at 1(800) 870- 3676 to request a Form N-400, N-600, or N-600K; or you may download any of these forms from the Internet at http://uscis.gov. |
| What are the requirements for naturalization? |
| Please see Section 4, "Who is Eligible For Naturalization?", beginning on page 17 for more details on the eligibility requirements for naturalization. You should also complete the Eligibility Worksheet in the back pocket of the Guide to help you find out if you meet the eligibility requirements. |
| When does my time as a Permanent Resident begin? |
| Your time as a Permanent Resident begins on the date you were granted permanent resident status. This date is on your Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as Alien Registration Card). |
| What form do I use to file for naturalization? |
| You should use an "Application for Naturalization" (Form N-400). Call the USCIS Forms Line at 1-800-870-3676 to request a Form N-400. You may also download the form from the internet at the following address: http://uscis.gov |
If I have been convicted of a crime but my record has been expunged, do I need to write that on my application or tell an USCIS officer? |
Yes. You should always be honest with USCIS about all;
arrests (even if you were not charged or convicted)
convictions (even if your record was cleared or expunged)
crimes you have committed for which you were not arrested or convicted
Even if you have committed a minor crime, USCIS may deny your application if you do not tell the USCIS officer about the incident.
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| Where do I file my naturalization application? |
| You should send your completed "Application for Naturalization" (Form N-400) to the appropriate USCIS Service Center. For information about the Service Center that serves your area, see page 34 or the single page called "Your Local USCIS Office" in the back pocket of this Guide. Remember to make a copy of your application. DO NOT send original documents with your application unless the Document Checklist included with the Guide states that an original is required. Always make copies of documents that you send to USCIS. |
| Will USCIS help me or make accommodations for me if I am disabled? |
| USCIS will make every effort to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities who need modifications to the naturalization process to demonstrate their eligibility. For example, if you use a wheelchair, we will make sure you can be fingerprinted, interviewed, and sworn in at a location that is wheelchair accessible. If 9you are hearing impaired, the officer conducting your interview will speak loudly and slowly, or we will work with you to arrange for a sign language interpreter. If you use a service animal, such as a guide dog, your animal may come with you to your interview and oath ceremony. If you know in advance that you will need some kind of accommodation, write a letter explaining what you will need and send it to the district office that will interview you after you receive your interview notice. We are continuing to work on better ways to make the naturalization process easier for applicants with disabilities. |
| Where is my local USCIS office? |
| For information about the USCIS office that serves your area, see the single page titled "Your Local USCIS Office" in the back pocket of this Guide. |
| What is the fee for processing an application? |
| The current fee for processing a naturalization application can be found on the single page titled "Current Naturalization Fees" in the back pocket of this Guide. If you are< under 75 years old, you must also pay a fee to have your fingerprints taken. |
| How can I pay my application fee? |
| You must pay your application fee (and fingerprinting fee, unless you are 75 years old or older) with a personal or cashier's check or money order drawn on a US bank in US dollars payable to the "Immigration and Naturalization Service." You may pay for both the application and fingerprinting fee with a single check or money order. Please do not combine payments for multiple applications in one check, because if we find a problem with one application, they could all be returned to you. If you live in Guam, you should make the fee payable to "Treasurer, Guam." If you live in the Virgin Islands, you should make the fee payable to "Commissioner of Finance of the Virgin Islands. You must send your fee with your application. Remember that your application fee is not refundable even if you withdraw your application or USCIS denies your case. |
| How long will it take to become naturalized? |
| The time it takes to be naturalized varies by location. USCIS is continuing to modernize and improve the naturalization process and would like to decrease the time it takes to an average of 6 months. |
| Where can I be fingerprinted? |
| After we receive your application, we will tell you where you should get fingerprinted. For more information about fingerprinting, see page 35. |
| How do I find out the status of my naturalization application? |
| You may call the Service Center where you sent your application. See the one-page insert titled "Your Local USCIS Office" in the back pocket of this Guide to find the telephone number to call for information. We are working hard to create a toll-free number that applicants may call to check the status of their application. |
| What if I cannot go to my scheduled interview? |
| It is very important not to miss your interview. If you have to miss your interview, you should write the office where your interview is scheduled as soon as possible. In your letter, you should ask to have your interview rescheduled. Rescheduling an interview may add several months to the naturalization process, so try not to change your original interview date. If you miss your scheduled interview without notifying USCIS, we will "administratively close" your case. Unless you contact us to schedule a new interview within 1 year after we close your case, we will deny your application. We will not notify you if we close your case because you missed your interview. |
| What do I do if my address has changed? |
| It is important that we have your latest address. If we do not have your current address, you may not get important information from US For example, we may not be able to notify you about the date and time of your interview or about additional documents you may need to send or bring. If you move after you have filed your application for naturalization (Form N-400), call the National Customer Service Center's toll-free telephone number at 1-800-375- 5283 (TTY: 1-800-767-1833) to report your address change. You should also notify the US Postal Service of your new address to help ensure that any mail already on its way will be forwarded to you. |
| Can I change my name when I naturalize? |
| You can change your name as part of your naturalization if a court in your area conducts naturalization oath ceremonies. Otherwise, no name change can be recorded on your Certificate of Naturalization unless you already changed your name legally (such as by marriage) before completing the naturalization process. If you decide to change your name, you will be required to complete a Petition for Name Change during your interview. Petitioning the court to change your name may delay the date of your oath ceremony, in some cases. If you petition to change your name, the new name will not be legally binding until after your oath ceremony. Your new name will appear on your Certificate of Naturalization. The USCIS does not process petitions for a name change after naturalization. However, you still may change your name after naturalization by other legal means. |
| If USCIS grants me naturalization, when will I become a citizen? |
| You become a citizen as soon as you take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. In some places, you can choose to take the Oath the same day as your interview. If that option is not available or if you prefer a ceremony at a later date, USCIS will notify you of the ceremony date with a "Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony" (Form N-445). |
| What should I do if I cannot go to my oath ceremony? |
If you cannot go to the oath ceremony, you should return the "Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony" (Form N-445) that USCIS sent to you. You should send the N-445 back to your local office. Include a letter saying why you cannot go to the ceremony. Make a copy of the notice and your letter before you send them to USCIS. Your local office will reschedule you and send you a new "Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony" (Form N-445) to tell you when your ceremony will be.
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| What can I do if USCIS denies my application? |
If you feel that we have wrongly denied your naturalization application, you may request a hearing with an immigration officer. Your denial letter will explain how to request a hearing and will include the form you need. The form for filing an appeal is the "Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings under Section 336 of the Act" (Form N-336). You must file the form with us with the correct fee within 30 days after you receive a denial letter. If, after an appeal hearing with USCIS, you still believe you have been wrongly denied naturalization, you may file a petition for a new review of your application in US District Court.
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| Can I reapply for naturalization if USCIS denies my application? |
| In many cases, you may reapply. If you reapply, you will need to complete and resubmit a new N-400 and pay the fee again. You will also need to have your fingerprints and photographs taken again. If your application is denied, the denial letter should indicate the date you may reapply for citizenship. If you are denied because you failed the English or civics test, you may reapply for naturalization as soon as you want. You should reapply whenever you believe you have learned enough English or civics to pass the tests. |
| What do I do if I have lost my Certificate of Naturalization? What do I use as proof of citizenship if I do not have my certificate? |
| You may get a new Certificate of Naturalization by submitting an "Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document" (Form N-565) to USCIS. You may get an N-565 by calling the USCIS Forms Line (1-800-870-3676), or by downloading the form off the internet at http://uscis.gov. Submit this form with the fee to your local USCIS office. It may take up to 1 year for you to receive a new certificate. If you have one, you may use your passport as evidence of citizenship while you wait for a replacement certificate. You should apply for a passport as soon as you become a citizen. |
Do I need to get a new Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as an Alien Registration Card) when USCIS issues a new version of the card if I am applying for naturalization?
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| If you apply for naturalization six months or more before the expiration date on your Permanent Resident Card, you do not have to apply for a new card. However, you may apply for a renewal Permanent Resident Card if you wish by using the Form I-90 (available from the USCIS Forms Line or the USCIS internet site) and paying the appropriate fee. If you apply for naturalization within six months of the expiration date on your Permanent Resident Card, or don't apply for naturalization until your card has already expired, you must renew your card. |
| If I am a US citizen, is my child a US citizen? |
| A child who is born in the United States, or born abroad to a US citizen(s) who lived in (or came to) the United States for a period of time prior to the child's birth, is generally considered a US citizen at birth. A child who is.
Born to a US citizen who did not live in (or come to) the United States for a period of time prior to the child's birth.
Born to one US citizen parent and one alien parent or two alien parents who naturalize after the child's birth.
Who is adopted and is permanently residing in the United States 14can become a US citizen by action of law on the date on which all of the following requirements have been met:
The child was lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
Either parent was a United States citizen by birth or naturalization.
The child was still under 18 years of age.
The child was not married.
The child was the parent's legitimate child or was legitimated by the parent before the child's 16th birthday (Stepchildren or children born out of wedlock who were not legitimated before their 16th birthday do not derive United States citizenship through their parents.)
If adopted, the child met the requirements of section 101(b)(1)(E) or (F) and has had a full and final adoption
The child was residing in the United States in the legal custody of the US citizen parent (this includes joint custody)
The child was residing in the United States in the physical custody of the US citizen parent. If you and your child meet all of these requirements, you may obtain a US passport for the child as evidence of citizenship. If the child needs further evidence of citizenship, you may submit an "Application for Certificate of Citizenship" (Form N-600) to USCIS to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship. (Note: a child who meets these requirements before his or her 18th birthday may obtain a passport of Certificate of Citizenship at any time, even after he or she turns 18).
If the child meets the requirements of Section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act as a child residing outside the United States, you may submit an "Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under Section 322" (Form N-600K).
NOTE - Children who immigrated under the "IR-3" or "IR-4" categories must have had an immigrant petition filed on their behalf before their 16th birthday; see answers to Question 26 below. All adoptions for any other type of immigration benefit, including naturalization, must be completed by the child's 16th birthday, with one exception: A child adopted while under the age of 18 years by the same parents who adopted a natural sibling who met the usual requirements.
NOTE - The "one US citizen parent" rule applies only to children who first fulfilled the requirements for automatic citizenship (other than at birth abroad) on or after February 27, 2001. In order to qualify for automatic citizenship (other than at birth abroad) on or before February 26, 2001, all of the child's parents must have been United States citizens either at birth or through naturalization- both parents if the child had two parents; the surviving parent if a parent had died; the parent with legal custody if the parents were divorced or legally separated; or the mother only, if the child had been born out of wedlock and the child's paternity had not been established by legitimating.
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| If I am a US citizen, but my child does not meet the requirements listed above, can I still apply for citizenship for my child? |
A child who is regularly residing IN the United States can become a citizen of the United States only by meeting the requirements listed in the answer to Question 25 above. If a child regularly resides IN the United States and is not a lawful permanent resident, he or she cannot acquire citizenship automatically until he or she is granted lawful permanent residence. If a child who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence fails to qualify for citizenship under the provisions of law, he or she may apply for naturalization after reaching 18 years of age by filing an N-400, provided that he or she has the required 5 years of lawful permanent residence. US citizens with children by birth or adoption who do NOT regularly reside in the United States, may apply for citizenship for such a child if all of the following conditions are met: o The child is under 18 years of age; and o The child is not married; and o The child regularly resides outside the United States.
The child is temporarily present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission and is maintaining such lawful status.
The child is in legal and physical custody of a parent who is a US citizen.
The child is the US citizen's legitimate child, or was legitimated before the child's 16th birthday (stepchildren or children born out of wedlock who were not legitimated before their 16th birthday are not eligible for this procedure).
If adopted, the child meets the requirements of section 101(b)(1)(E) or (F) and had a full and final adoption; and either of the following is true:
The citizen parent has lived at least 5 years in the United States, and at least 2 of which were after the citizen parent's 14th birthday.
If the child's citizen parent has not lived in the United States for at least 5 years 2 of which were after that parent's 14th birthday, the citizen parent currently has a parent (the child's grandparent) who: is also a US citizen, and lived in the United States for 5 years, at least 2 of which were after the citizen grandparent's 14th birthday.
is still living at the time of the adjudication of the application and the taking of the Oath If the foregoing conditions are met, the citizen parent can apply for citizenship and a certificate of citizenship in behalf of the child using an "Application for Citizenship and Issuance of a Certificate under Section 322" (Form N-600K). Both the citizen parent and the child must appear at an interview with an USCIS officer in the United States. The child must meet ALL of the required conditions at the time when he or she takes the Oath of Allegiance (Note: the Oath may be waived if the child is too young to understand it).
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