U.S. Citizenship Requirements for U.S. Armed Forces

To apply under this eligibility category, you must be 18 years of age or older.

You may only use this eligibility category if you have an honorable service record or have been honorably discharged. You must have served for at least one year in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard.

If you have separated from the U.S. Armed Forces, Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) must be filed within 6 months of the honorable discharge.

If you were discharged for other than honorable reasons, you are not excluded from naturalization. You likely would not meet the citizenship requirements for military. Instead, you would need to prepare N-400, Application for Naturalization, as a 5-year permanent resident or as a permanent resident married to a U.S. citizen for 3 years.

Most non-citizens that apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization must have permanent resident status for several years before filing N-400, Application for Naturalization. However, members of the military must only be permanent residents by the day of the interview.

What's more, the continuous residence and physical presence requirements are waived. Most applicants must be permanent residents for 5 years before submitting Form N-400. Military applicants can file right away.

Generally, you must be able to read, write, and speak English and have knowledge and an understanding of U.S. history and government (also known as civics). You shouldn't be intimidated. You only need a basic level of English. It's also very easy to study for the civics test. CitizenPath can show you How to Prepare for the U.S. Citizenship Test & Interview.

USCIS also provides accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Learn more on the USCIS Exceptions & Accommodations page.

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. Examples of things that might demonstrate a lack of good moral character include but aren't limited to:

• Any crime against a person with intent to harm
• Any crime against property or the Government that involves “fraud” or evil intent
• Two or more crimes for which the aggregate sentence was 5 years or more
• Violating any controlled substance law of the United States, any State, or any foreign country
• Habitual drunkenness
• Illegal gambling
• Prostitution
• Polygamy (marriage to more than one person at the same time)
• Lying to gain immigration benefits
• Failing to pay court-ordered child support or alimony payments
• Confinement in jail, prison, or similar institution for which the total confinement was 180 days or more during the past 5 years
• Failing to complete any probation, parole, or suspended sentence before you apply for naturalization
• Terrorist acts
• Persecution of anyone because of race, religion, national origin, political opinion, or social group

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.