The Path to U.S. Citizenship Through Naturalization
Updated February 2026 | By Law Office of Miguel Palmeiro | Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Becoming a United States citizen is one of the most significant milestones in any immigrant’s journey. U.S. citizenship grants the right to vote, access to federal employment, protection from deportation, the ability to sponsor family members for immigration, and the security of a U.S. passport. For most lawful permanent residents, the pathway to citizenship is through naturalization — filing Form N-400 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
At the Law Office of Miguel Palmeiro in Arlington, Virginia, we have guided hundreds of permanent residents through the naturalization process. This comprehensive guide explains every step of the process as it works in 2026, including eligibility requirements, the interview and testing process, and how to avoid common mistakes that can delay or jeopardize your application.
Who Is Eligible for Naturalization?
To apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization, you must meet several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act. These requirements ensure that applicants have demonstrated a commitment to the United States and its values.
Age Requirement
You must be at least 18 years old at the time you file Form N-400. Minor children of U.S. citizens may automatically acquire citizenship under certain circumstances without filing for naturalization.
Permanent Resident Status
You must be a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). The length of time you must hold your green card before applying depends on your situation. If you obtained your green card through any general pathway, such as employment, family sponsorship, or the diversity lottery, you must have been a permanent resident for at least five years. If you obtained your green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen and are still married to and living with that same citizen spouse, the requirement is reduced to three years.
Continuous Residence
You must have maintained continuous residence in the United States for the required period — five years or three years depending on your category. Continuous residence means you have not taken any trip outside the United States lasting six months or longer, as trips of six months to one year create a presumption that you broke continuous residence. Trips longer than one year automatically break continuous residence unless you obtained a reentry permit before departing.
Physical Presence
You must have been physically present in the United States for at least half of the required continuous residence period. For the five-year track, this means at least 30 months of physical presence. For the three-year track, at least 18 months. USCIS will calculate your time abroad using your travel records, so keep careful track of all international trips.
State Residency
You must have lived in the state or USCIS district where you are filing for at least three months before submitting your application.
Good Moral Character
You must demonstrate good moral character during the statutory period — the three or five years immediately before filing and up through the time you take the Oath of Allegiance. Certain criminal convictions, including aggravated felonies, murder, and controlled substance offenses, can permanently bar you from establishing good moral character. Other issues, such as failure to pay taxes, failure to pay court-ordered child support, or providing false testimony under oath, may also affect your moral character determination.
English Language and Civics Knowledge
You must demonstrate the ability to read, write, and speak basic English, and you must pass a civics test demonstrating knowledge of U.S. history and government. There are exceptions for applicants over 50 who have been permanent residents for 20 years, applicants over 55 who have been permanent residents for 15 years, and applicants with qualifying physical or developmental disabilities.
Attachment to the Constitution
You must demonstrate an attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution and be willing to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States.
When Can You File? The 90-Day Early Filing Rule
You can file Form N-400 up to 90 days before you meet the continuous residence requirement. For example, if you have been a permanent resident since January 1, 2021, your five-year eligibility date would be January 1, 2026, and the earliest you could file would be October 3, 2025 — exactly 90 days before. Filing early is advantageous because it gets you into the processing queue sooner.
Step-by-Step: The Naturalization Process
Step 1: File Form N-400
The application can be filed online through your USCIS account or by mailing a paper form. The current filing fee is $760, which includes both the application fee and the biometrics fee. Fee waivers and reduced fees are available for eligible applicants based on income. When filing, you will need a copy of your green card, passport-style photographs, and documentation of any name changes, trips abroad, tax filings, and other information requested on the form.
Step 2: Biometrics Appointment
After USCIS receives your application, they will schedule a biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center. At this appointment, your fingerprints, photograph, and signature will be collected for FBI background checks. Attend this appointment as scheduled — missing it without rescheduling can result in your application being denied.
Step 3: The Naturalization Interview
The interview is the most important step in the naturalization process. A USCIS officer will review your N-400 application with you, verify your identity, and ask you questions to confirm the information you provided. The officer will also administer the English and civics tests during this appointment.
For the English language test, you will be asked to read one to three sentences aloud and write one to three sentences that the officer dictates to you. The sentences are drawn from civics-related vocabulary and are designed to test basic English proficiency, not advanced language skills.
For the civics test, you will be asked up to 20 questions from a list of 100 possible questions about American history and government, and you must answer at least 12 correctly. The questions cover topics such as the three branches of government, the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, key historical events, and current government officials. Study materials are available for free on the USCIS website, and many community organizations offer citizenship preparation classes.
As of 2025, USCIS introduced an updated civics test. Depending on when you file, you may take either the 2008 version or the 2025 version. Your interview notice will specify which test applies to your case.
Step 4: Receive Your Decision
USCIS has 120 days after your interview to issue a decision. In many cases, if you pass your tests and the officer has no concerns, you will be approved on the same day as your interview. If additional review is needed, you may receive a decision by mail. Possible outcomes include approval, continuance (if you need to retake a test or provide additional documents), or denial.
Step 5: Take the Oath of Allegiance
You are not a U.S. citizen until you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. Some applicants are invited to take the oath on the same day as their interview. Others are scheduled for a separate ceremony, which typically occurs within a few weeks. At the ceremony, you will turn in your green card, take the oath, and receive your Certificate of Naturalization. From that moment, you are a United States citizen.
Processing Times in 2026
The current median processing time for Form N-400 is approximately 5.5 months from filing to oath ceremony. USCIS has significantly reduced naturalization processing times in recent years, cutting the average time roughly in half since 2019. However, processing times vary by field office, and your individual timeline may be shorter or longer depending on your location, the complexity of your case, and current USCIS workloads.
For applicants in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area, the local USCIS field offices have generally maintained processing times close to or below the national average.
Common Mistakes That Delay Naturalization
Incomplete or Inaccurate Applications
The most common cause of delays is submitting an incomplete N-400 or providing inconsistent information. Every question on the form must be answered completely and accurately. Leaving questions blank, providing incorrect travel dates, or failing to disclose relevant information can trigger Requests for Evidence or result in your application being returned without processing.
Tax Filing Issues
USCIS will ask whether you have filed your federal and state tax returns for each year that you were required to do so. If you owe back taxes or have not filed required returns, address these issues before applying. Failure to file taxes can be used as evidence of a lack of good moral character.
Travel Complications
Extended trips abroad are one of the most common complications in naturalization cases. Keep a detailed log of every international trip, including exact departure and return dates. If you took a trip lasting between six months and one year, be prepared to explain why and to provide evidence that you maintained your primary residence in the United States during that time.
Criminal History
Any arrest, charge, or conviction — even if dismissed or expunged — must be disclosed on the N-400 and at the interview. Failure to disclose is considered a lack of good moral character and can result in denial. If you have any criminal history, consult an immigration attorney before filing to understand how it may affect your application.
Special Situations
Military Service Members
Active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and certain veterans are eligible for expedited naturalization under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Military applicants may be exempt from certain residency and physical presence requirements, and there is no filing fee for Form N-400 filed under military provisions.
Applicants with Disabilities
If you have a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment that prevents you from learning English or understanding civics concepts, you may request an exemption from the English and/or civics testing requirements by filing Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, completed by a licensed medical or osteopathic doctor or licensed clinical psychologist.
Why Choose the Law Office of Miguel Palmeiro
While naturalization may seem straightforward for applicants with simple cases, the consequences of mistakes can be serious — including delays, denials, and in some cases, being placed in removal proceedings if USCIS discovers issues during the application review. Our firm has helped hundreds of permanent residents throughout Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland successfully become U.S. citizens.
We are particularly experienced with complex naturalization cases involving extended travel histories, prior criminal issues, tax complications, and applications under the three-year marriage-based provision. Our staff speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and we provide personalized attention to every client.
Contact us today at (703) 522-2427 for a consultation about your naturalization case. Our office is located at 3300 Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22201, just steps from the Ballston-MU Metro station.
