U.S. Citizenship Requirements for the General Provision

N-400 Eligibility for a 5-Year Permanent Resident

Becoming a U.S. citizen is a major milestone, and for many permanent residents, the path to naturalization begins with meeting the basic citizenship requirements under the general provision. This option applies to most lawful permanent residents (green card holders) who have maintained their status for at least five years. It's a big step, but understanding the requirements upfront helps avoid delays and denials. This guide explains what’s needed to qualify under the "five-year rule," how to prepare a strong application, and what to expect next as you take the final steps toward becoming a U.S. citizen.

N-400 Requirements for Citizenship Based on Five Years of Permanent Residence

Permanent residents who meet certain requirements may file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to request citizenship. The vast majority of permanent residents apply under this general provision and must meet the following citizenship requirements:

You must have your permanent resident status for five years before you can apply for citizenship through the general provision. Your time as a permanent resident begins the day you were granted permanent resident status. You can find the date on your green card next to "Resident Since."

However, the rules do allow you to file your Form N-400 application up to 90 days before the five-year anniversary of your admission date. For example, a person who has been a permanent resident since 01/01/2020 would meet this requirement on 10/3/2024. That's 90 days before they reach the five-year mark.

You must have lived in the United States as a permanent resident without any long trips abroad. USCIS will presume that any absence of six months or more has disrupted your continuous residence requirement.

You may take temporary trips abroad but must maintain ties to the U.S. and should generally keep your absences less than 90 days if possible. Additionally, you must maintain this requirement from the date of filing the application until the time naturalization is finalized. Again, you may take a temporary trip abroad during the naturalization process, but you cannot relocate your home to another country.

CitizenPath's online service to prepare Form N-400 will help you verify that you meet the five-year continuous residence citizenship requirement. For a more detailed discussion about this requirement, review our explanation of the Continuous Residence Requirement for Naturalization below.

Out of the last five years, you must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months (about 913 days total). Short trips abroad are okay as long as you meet this total. Physical presence is a cumulative requirement. Therefore, you must add up all the days you have been physically present on U.S. soil.

CitizenPath's online service to prepare Form N-400 will help you verify that you meet the physical presence requirement for the general provision. For a more detailed discussion about this requirement, review our explanation of the Physical Presence Requirement for Naturalization below.

Everybody makes mistakes; you aren't expected to be perfect. The United States wants new citizens to be of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during all relevant periods under the law. USCIS looks at your record over the last five years to confirm good moral character. Crimes, unpaid taxes, or dishonesty can cause problems, even if they happened outside the U.S.

If you are concerned that your moral character may be in question due to even a minor incident, you should consult an immigration attorney before filing Form N-400.

You’ll need to show basic English skills during your naturalization interview. Additionally, most applicants must pass a short test on U.S. history and government (also known as civics). You shouldn't be intimidated. It's very easy to study for the civics test. For certain applicants, USCIS does provide some English language exceptions and medical disability exceptions. Learn more about these exceptions, get ready for the interview, and see actual practice test questions on CitizenPath's page for How to Prepare for the U.S. Citizenship Test & Interview.

When Can I Apply for Citizenship?

If you’ve been a permanent resident for five years, you may be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship under the general provision — but the rules are more complex than just waiting five years.

To help you get started, we’ve created a Citizenship Eligibility Calculator. Simply enter the “Resident Since” date from your green card, and we’ll show you the earliest date you may file Form N‑400.

Residence Since zoom-in on a permanent resident card

Citizenship Eligibility Calculator

Enter the "Resident Since" date from your green card:

Typically, you can file Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) as early as 90 days before your five-year anniversary. But keep in mind, eligibility depends on more than just time. You must also meet other citizenship requirements, including continuous residence, physical presence, good moral character, and more.

If the calculator shows you're eligible to apply, the next step is to verify you meet other requirements. CitizenPath’s Naturalization Package will help confirm that you meet all the requirements. We’ll walk you through a step-by-step process that:

Calculates and verifies your continuous residence
Adds up your physical presence
Confirms other naturalization criteria

It’s a smarter, more affordable way to apply with confidence on your terms, without the high cost of an attorney.

Continuous Residence Requirement

Continuous residence means living in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for five straight years before applying for citizenship (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen) The rule is simple: you must treat the U.S. as your true home and avoid long trips abroad that could disrupt that status.

Short trips abroad typically do not disrupt continuous the residence requirement, but long absences will. Here’s how absences from the U.S. affect your eligibility:

Trips under 6 months: Generally don’t break your continuous residence requirement.
Trips between 6-12 months: Create a presumption of breaking your residence. You’ll need to prove your ties to the U.S. (such as maintaining a home, returning to the same job, or keeping family here). This presumption can be difficult to overcome.
Trips of 1 year or more: Automatically break continuous residence unless you obtained prior approval by filing Form N‑470 to preserve your status.

As a general rule, permanent residents should avoid any trips abroad of 6 months or longer. If the continuous residence requirement is broken, the clock resets: you must start a new period of residency before reapplying. USCIS will calculate eligibility based on the most recent uninterrupted span.

Important Note: A reentry permit allows permanent residents to return to the U.S. after trips of one year (and less than two years), but it does not preserve your continuous residence for naturalization purposes. You are still be required to restart the five-year period.

Physical Presence Requirement

Physical presence refers to the actual time you’ve spent physically inside the U.S. over the required residency period. For most applicants under the general five‑year rule, you must have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months (at least 913 days) during the five years before filing Form N‑400.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

It’s a cumulative requirement: You must add up each day you were physically in the U.S. across the five‑year period.
Even brief trips count: Both the day you leave and the day you return are counted as days present in the U.S. for eligibility purposes.
Not the same as continuous residence: You might maintain continuous residence but still fall short on physical presence if you've spent too much time abroad.

USCIS uses the physical presence requirement to confirm that applicants are genuinely residing in and connected to the U.S. Demonstrating a physical presence of at least half of the five‑year period helps show that the U.S. is truly your primary home.

Citizenship Requirement for Good Moral Character

To become a U.S. citizen, you must show that you’ve had good moral character (GMC) for at least five years before filing (or three years if applying under the spousal rule). This means living by the law, being honest on your application, and meeting basic civic responsibilities.

Most people don’t have serious criminal issues—but minor missteps can still create problems. Here are some common examples:

Not paying your taxes: Failing to file or owing back taxes without a payment plan can raise red flags.
Missing child support payments: If you’re legally required to pay support but haven’t, it could affect your eligibility.
Failing to register with Selective Service: If you’re a male between 18–26 and didn’t register (and were required to), you’ll need to explain why.

USCIS takes these issues seriously. But having a problem doesn’t always mean denial — what matters is how you address it. You may need to provide documentation or show that you’ve taken steps to fix the issue.

Certain crimes — like murder, aggravated felonies, persecution, and genocide — are clearly permanent obstacles to meeting the citizenship requirements. Conditional bars can also prevent an applicant from meeting the N-400 good moral character requirement. According to the USCIS policy manual, conditional bars include:

Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude — Conviction or admission of one or more CIMTs (other than political offense), except for one petty offense.
Aggregate Sentence of Five Years or More — Conviction of two or more offenses with combined sentence of five years or more (other than political offense).
Controlled Substance Violation — Violation of any law on controlled substances, except for simple possession of 30g or less of marijuana.
Incarceration for 180 Days — Incarceration for a total period of 180 days or more, except political offense and ensuing confinement abroad.
False Testimony under Oath — False testimony for the purpose of obtaining any immigration benefit.
Prostitution Offenses — Engaged in prostitution, attempted or procured to import prostitution, or received proceeds from prostitution.
Smuggling of a Person — Involved in smuggling of a person to enter or try to enter the United States in violation of law.
Polygamy — Practiced or is practicing polygamy (the custom of having more than one spouse at the same time).
Gambling Offenses — Two or more gambling offenses or derives income principally from illegal gambling activities.
Habitual Drunkard — Is or was a habitual drunkard.
Failure to Support Dependents — Willful failure or refusal to support dependents, unless extenuating circumstances are established.
Adultery — Extramarital affair tending to destroy existing marriage, unless extenuating circumstances are established.
Unlawful Acts — Unlawful act that adversely reflect upon GMC, unless extenuating circumstances are established.

Alternative Paths to Citizenship

Citizenship Through Marriage

If you’re a permanent resident who is married to a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible to naturalize after just three years.

Learn about theMarriage Provision

U.S. Armed Forces

If you've served at least one year in the U.S. military, you may be eligible to naturalize now.

Learn about theMilitary Provision

Example Cases Under the 5-Year General Provision

These hypothetical examples highlight four common situations faced by permanent residents applying for U.S. citizenship under the general provision (5-year requirement).

Belinda: Successful Application

Belinda, a permanent resident from the Phillipines, received her green card on August 15, 2020. She has lived in California ever since, taking only a few short trips abroad, none lasting more than two weeks.

Continuous Residence: Maintained fully since 2020.
Physical Presence: Has spent well over 30 months in the U.S. over the past 5 years.
Good Moral Character: No concerns.

Result: Belinda can file Form N‑400 as early as May 17, 2025 (90 days before her 5-year anniversary) and is a strong candidate for naturalization under the general provision.

Grace: Not Enough Physical Presence

Grace has held a green card since June 2018 but travels frequently for work. Over the past five years, she’s spent roughly 20 months outside the U.S., mostly on short business trips.

Continuous Residence: Maintained with no trips exceeding 6 months in past 5 years.
Physical Presence: Only about 25 months in the U.S.
Good Moral Character: No concerns.

Result: Grace does not meet the 30-month physical presence requirement. She should delay applying until she accumulates more time physically in the U.S.

James: Moral Character Red Flag

James, a green card holder since April 2016, has lived and worked in the U.S. continuously. However, he failed to file federal taxes in 2023 and is currently not on a payment plan.

Continuous Residence: Maintained with no trips exceeding 6 months in past 5 years.
Physical Presence: Fully met with over 50 months in the U.S.
Good Moral Character: Potential issue due to tax delinquency.

Result: James may face a denial based on failure to meet good moral character standards. Even with a payment plan and a track record of IRS payments, he should speak to an immigration attorney before filing due to the overdue taxes.

Michael: Break in Continuous Residence

Michael received his green card in January 2017, but in 2019, he took a 9-month trip overseas to care for a sick relative. He did not file Form N‑470 to preserve his residence.

Continuous Residence: Likely disrupted by a trip longer than 6 months.
Physical Presence: Has spent over 30 months in the U.S. over the past 5 years.
Good Moral Character: No concerns.

Result: USCIS will presume a break in continuous residence. Michael would need strong documentation showing he kept ties to the U.S. (e.g., maintained a home, job, bank account). Otherwise, he must wait 4 years and 1 day from his return date to re-establish eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions about Citizenship Requirements

Under the general provision, most permanent residents can apply for naturalization 90 days before reaching five years of continuous residence in the U.S. To determine this date, use the “Resident Since” date on your green card. But remember, meeting the five-year mark is just one part of the citizenship requirements. You must also satisfy continuous residence, physical presence, and good moral character rules.

Both are key citizenship requirements, but they measure different things. Continuous residence means you’ve lived primarily in the U.S. without extended absences. For example, a seven-month trip abroad would likely disrupt this requirement. Physical presence means the total days you've been physically inside the U.S. during the five-year period. It's a cumulative requirement. To qualify under the general provision, you need 30 months of physical presence and five years of continuous residence.

Assuming you did not intend to relocate abroad, short trips (under six months) generally won’t harm your eligibility. However, frequent travel may raise questions about whether you’ve truly maintained continuous residence. If a single trip lasted 6–12 months, USCIS will presume a break. Trips over one year almost always break residence unless you filed Form N‑470 to preserve your eligibility under the general provision.

Yes, but not right away. If your continuous residence was disrupted, you must re-establish eligibility under the general provision. This means waiting to file until you've met the required residence and presence periods again, often starting with the four years and one day rule. (In practice, this means you can safefly re-apply four years and six months after the date your returned from your trip.)

If you break continuous residence, the four years and one day rule (8 CFR §316.5(c)(1)(ii)) allows you to regain eligibility for naturalization under the general provision. You must wait at least four years and one day from the date you returned to the U.S. before applying. During that time, you must reestablish your U.S. ties and meet all citizenship requirements again.

However, filing only four years and one day from the date you returned still forces you to rebut a presumption you disrupted the requirement. This is a high bar. Therefore, many attorneys say the safest approach is not to file Form N-400 for at least four years and six months after the date you returned to the U.S.

Serious criminal history will almost always affect the good moral character requirement. Speak to an attorney if you've ever been arrested or convicted.

While most applicants don’t face serious criminal bars, many are surprised to learn that failing to meet tax obligations, missing child support payments, or not registering for Selective Service can impact the good moral character requirement. USCIS reviews conduct during the statutory period (five years) as part of the citizenship requirements.

Complete Guide to the U.S. Naturalization Process

Find information about eligibility, costs, timelines, and how to prepare for the citizenship test all in one place. Visit our hub for citizenship through the naturalization process.

Citizenship Through Naturalization

CitizenPath Helps Make Naturalization Easy

How to apply for citizenship with the peace of mind you've done everything correctly

Our affordable, online service makes it easy to prepare Form N-400. You’ll answer simple questions at your own pace, and we’ll check for eligibility — including continuous residence, physical presence, and other key criteria — before you pay. You'll get a ready-to-file application and personalized filing instructions. There's even live customer support and a money-back guarantee that USCIS will approve the application. Learn more about the Naturalization Package >>

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CitizenPath Naturalization Package to file Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization)