Naturalization

What It Means

Naturalization is governed by INA sections 310 through 340 and administered by USCIS on Form N-400. Standard eligibility requires at least 5 years of continuous residence as an LPR (reduced to 3 years for spouses of U.S. citizens under INA section 319(a)), physical presence in the U.S. for at least half of the qualifying period, continuous residence in the USCIS district of filing for at least 3 months, good moral character for the statutory period, basic English reading/writing/speaking ability, knowledge of U.S. history and civics, and attachment to the principles of the Constitution. Applicants pay a $760 filing fee (including the $85 biometrics fee) as of the most recent fee schedule and must pass a 10-question civics test drawn from a bank of 100 questions, with 6 correct answers required to pass. USCIS adjudicates roughly 800,000 to 1 million naturalization applications annually, with national median processing times that have ranged from under 6 months in the fastest field offices to over 18 months in backlogged offices like Houston and Miami. The process concludes with an oath of allegiance ceremony under INA section 337. Exceptions exist for military service members under INA section 328 and 329, who may naturalize with reduced residence requirements. The visatracker.org Pipeline Score highlights N-400 throughput as one of the clearest signals of field-office efficiency because the form volume is high and the eligibility rules are standardized.

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