U.S. Citizenship through the Naturalization Process

Naturalization begins by filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. You'll also need to submit several supporting documents. This list depends on the basis of your application and your answers to specific questions.

In addition to your prepared N-400, CitizenPath provides you with a set of personalized filing instructions. Also, our filing instructions are customized to your answers in the application so you know what to do for your specific situation. The filing instructions provide detailed directions on supporting documents, how to organize your application, and where to mail it.

Citizenship is the legal status of being a recognized member of a country. Some people are U.S. citizens at birth — either by being born in the United States or born abroad to U.S. citizen parents.

Naturalization is the legal process that allows a non-citizen to become a U.S. citizen after meeting certain requirements, such as permanent residence, good moral character, and passing the naturalization interview and test. A person who gains citizenship through this process is called a naturalized citizen.

Yes, the U.S. government can revoke citizenship, but only under very limited circumstances. The process, legally known as U.S. citizenship denaturalization, may occur if a person obtained citizenship fraudulently, lied during the application (for example, hiding criminal history), or engaged in conduct like terrorism or espionage that undermines their eligibility.

Under the current Trump administration, the Justice Department has instructed attorneys to pursue denaturalization more aggressively, broadening enforcement beyond traditional fraud to include national security and criminal concerns. While most lawful naturalized citizens remain secure, experts note this marks a stricter approach than in recent years.

The Constitution and laws of the United States give many rights to both citizens and non-citizens living in the United States. However, some rights are only for U.S. citizens. Naturalization, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, offers several benefits. They include:

• Voting. Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections. Most states also restrict the right to vote, in most elections, to U.S. citizens.
• Bringing family members to the United States. Citizens generally get priority when petitioning to bring family members permanently to this country (to obtain a green card) through family-based immigration.
• Obtaining citizenship for children born abroad. In most cases, a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen is automatically a U.S. citizen.
• Traveling with a U.S. passport. A U.S. passport allows you to get assistance from the U.S. government when overseas.
• Becoming eligible for federal jobs. Most jobs with government agencies require U.S. citizenship.
• Becoming an elected official. Many elected offices in this country require U.S. citizenship.
• Showing your patriotism. In addition, becoming a U.S. citizen is a way to demonstrate your commitment to your new country.

One of the most practical benefits of naturalization is the financial savings. Once you've naturalized as a U.S. citizen, you'll never have to pay USCIS immigration fees again. Consider these three practical benefits of U.S. citizenship.

It is possible to file Form N-400 before Form I-751 is approved. Your time as a conditional resident counts toward the continuous residence requirement, and many people are eligible to become a citizen before the conditions are removed. In many cases, USCIS will make a decision on both cases in the same interview. Read more about filing Form N-400 with a pending I-751 petition.

You can travel abroad after filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. However, you should generally limit your travel.

That's because you'll need to attend a few appointments and your time abroad continues to count against your continuous residence requirement. Learn how traveling abroad after filing Form N-400 can affect you.

Most oath ceremonies last about 1 to 2 hours. First, check-in and paperwork usually take 30–60 minutes. Then, there is a 20–30 minute ceremony where you take the Oath of Allegiance and officially become a naturalized citizen.

Most naturalization applicants must satisfy certain residency requirements. For permanent residents who have traveled outside the United States, it is important to understand how their absences affect the continuous residence requirement and physical presence requirement for naturalization eligibility.

Additionally, CitizenPath verifies that you satisfy the requirements when using our service.

No. The Trump administration’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship apply only to people born in the United States under certain circumstances, not to immigrants who become citizens through the naturalization process. If you are a permanent resident applying for naturalization, your path to becoming a naturalized citizen is unchanged.

However, the policy debate highlights how immigration rules can shift with political priorities. While birthright citizenship is under renewed scrutiny, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen through naturalization continues to follow long-established law.