Apply citizenship how long

The U. All these steps require a significant amount of time to complete thoroughly. Due to recent events and the number of applications received each year, the backlog for applications has increased, and you may end up waiting a while before finally obtaining citizenship.

Yes, there is. On it, they provide a tool that can help you track the status of your application and generally see how long the U. The truth is, there is no real way to speed up the process in any meaningful way. This includes provisions for marriage as well. Many people falsely believe that marriage is a fast way to obtain citizenship. However, the USCIS takes marriage fraud very seriously, and the amount of investigation they conduct to ensure the marriage is legitimate can take roughly the same amount of time.

There is a fee waiver available that you can use to get a reduced cost or avoid paying altogether. The steps for applying are simple. What makes them hard is knowing how to get them done correctly.

Here is a basic timeline of the U. The first step is to fill out Form N, Application for Naturalization. Pay all the fees necessary and provide all your supporting documents. After the USCIS receives your application, they should provide you with a notice of action within one to two weeks.

Around this time, you will also need to provide biometrics such as your fingerprints, photo, and signature. You will have to make an appointment to do this step. When everything gets processed successfully, the next thing you need to do is set up an appointment for your exam and interview, which both occur on the same day.

The biometrics appointment, also known as a biometrics screening, is generally a short appointment approximately 30 minutes so that USCIS can collect your fingerprints, photograph and signature.

Your appointment notice will tell you what you need to take to the appointment. Expect to take some form of government-issued photo identification to enter the building. After completing the biometrics appointment, USCIS will send another appointment notice for your naturalization interview. Make every attempt to attend the interview time as scheduled for you. Rescheduling an interview may add several months to the naturalization process. The interview notice will arrive by mail as another Form I, Notice of Action.

The naturalization interview will be scheduled at a USCIS facility near you, and it probably will last less than 30 minutes. At the interview, a USCIS officer will typically go through the entire N application to confirm that the answers previously provided are still correct. In fact, your ability to understand these questions and answers is part of your English comprehension test.

If there are any issues that are out of the ordinary, like a previous arrest or if taxes are owed to the government, then further questions and examination are usually done. It provides you with information about the results of your interview. They will either grant, continue, or deny your naturalization application after your interview. Tip: There are numerous free resources to help you prepare for the U. Tip: If you cannot attend your scheduled naturalization ceremony, return the notice, Form N, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, to your local USCIS office, along with a letter requesting a new date and explanation why you cannot attend the scheduled naturalization ceremony.

Failing to appear more than once for your naturalization ceremony may lead to a denial of your application. You are not a U. The oath is administered by USCIS at an administrative ceremony or by a judge in a judicial ceremony. After taking the Oath of Allegiance, you will turn in your green card and receive your Certificate of Naturalization.

If you properly file Form N, Application for Naturalization , USCIS will initially respond by mailing you a receipt notice that confirms receipt of your application. Formally known as Form IC, Notice of Action see example below , the receipt notice typically arrives 2 to 3 weeks after filing. To gain citizenship, you must demonstrate the ability to read, write and speak English, and you must show you understand basic information about U. Finally, in the interview, the USCIS officer may review issues that may have come up during your background check.

The agency will either grant the application, continue the application if more evidence is necessary, or deny the application if the record does not demonstrate eligibility. To help avoid delays getting U. Bell, P.

We are happy to help answer your questions and will fight to help you obtain your U. You can contact us at Citizenship after Applying?

Have been a person of good moral character Have lived in the state where you are applying for the preceding 90 days Those who meet the requirements can file and submit Form N, the Application for Naturalization. You must be regularly stationed abroad due to your spouse's employment. You also must declare an intention to live in the United States when your spouse's employment ends. And finally, your spouse's employer must be either:.

A final note of caution: Even if you have spent the required amount of time with a green card, you might need to wait longer before applying for U. And if you haven't yet learned enough English to pass the exam you'll be given on this topic, or studied the required U. For more about the rules and exceptions described above, including tips on how to prove you qualify for one of the exceptions, see the book Becoming a U.

If you would like a personal analysis of your situation, consult an experienced immigration attorney. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service.

Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Grow Your Legal Practice. Meet the Editors. When Can I Apply for U. While most people must wait five years after getting their green card to apply for naturalized U.

Citizen You need to wait a mere three years to apply for U. Citizen Granted VAWA Protection Congress didn't want immigrants to have to stay in an abusive marriage for three years just to obtain the benefit of the three-year exception when they applied for U. Partial Exception to Five-Year Naturalization Eligibility Rule for Refugees If you got your green card based on having come to the United States as a refugee, part of your time as a refugee can be counted as if you were a permanent resident known as "rollback".

Partial Exception to Five-Year Naturalization Eligibility Rule for Asylees If you got your green card based on having received asylum in the United States, one year of your time as an asylee counts as if you were a permanent resident known as "rollback". Citizens in Certain Overseas Jobs If your spouse has a job requiring the two of you to live overseas, you may be able to apply for citizenship without five years of permanent residence. And finally, your spouse's employer must be either: the U.

Other Requirements for Citizenship Might Require You to Wait Even Longer A final note of caution: Even if you have spent the required amount of time with a green card, you might need to wait longer before applying for U.

Affect Eligibility for U. Citizenship have not lived in the district or state where you are filing your application for at least three months before submitting your N application have spent more than a year outside the United States, or cannot yet demonstrate that you've had good moral character for the required amount of time before applying for citizenship particularly if you have committed a crime ; some types of crimes will bar citizenship altogether, others will mean you have to wait until some years have passed before submitting your N