The naturalization application (N-400) checklist below provides a general idea of what is usually needed for green card holders to become U.S. citizens. To have a better understanding of this list, please read the U.S. citizenship overview for the big picture and then please read U.S. citizenship by naturalization overview for details of how green card holders naturalize into U.S. citizens.
Please click to download the naturalization application (N-400) checklist for green card holders who are naturalizing into U.S. citizens.
The green card holder (LPR, lawful permanent resident) naturalizing into a U.S. citizen is the final step in the U.S. immigration journey. To remain in the United States, the green card holder can choose to file for U.S. citizenship after 5 years (or 3 years for spouses of U.S. citizens who are still married) or renew their green card every 10 years. The main benefits of naturalizing into a U.S. citizen would be the safety of not being deportable if there are any violations of certain U.S. laws and being able to stay overseas for as long as they wish to (unlike green card holders who run the risk of losing their green card visa status if they stay overseas for over 6 months at a time). Filing for U.S. citizenship is generally the option chosen by green card holders who satisfies the requirements for naturalization.
The overall emphasis on the documents and requirements/criteria of the naturalization application (N-400) is showing that the green card holder has spent enough time in the United States and has remained a person with good moral character.
HAVE A U.S. CITIZENSHIP NATURALIZATION IMMIGRATION QUESTION? CONTACT US
If you have a U.S. citizenship naturalization related immigration question, please fill out our contact us form or send us an email with some basic information about your background and your immigration needs. We will do our best to respond within 48 hours.
How we can help?
Kylie Huang Law’s immigration attorney will help identify if the client is qualified to naturalize into a U.S. citizen. We will work closely with our clients to prepare their naturalization application and we will also strategize on how their naturalization application should be presented in the filings and in the interview to achieve the best chances of approval. It is advised and common practice to retain an immigration attorney for certain unusual naturalization applications due to the complexities in the immigration process and visa requirements.
What does the typical process look like to retain (hire) us?
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- Fill out the form (with some basic information on what your immigration needs are)
- Sign up and log into the client portal to schedule an appointment online
- Attend scheduled appointment (typically a phone call or zoom meeting)
- Retainment (signing a contract to hire us)
- Start processing case
- Gathering required documents
- Preparing paperwork
- Confirming contents of documents that will be submitted
- Filing the case
- Following up on the status of the case
- Close the case when a final determination is issued
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- Fill out the form (on what your immigration needs are)
- Sign up and log into the client portal to schedule an appointment
- Attend scheduled appointment (typically a phone call or zoom)
- Retainment (signing a contract to hire us)
- Start processing case
- Gathering required documents
- Preparing paperwork
- Confirming contents of documents that will be submitted
- Filing the case
- Following up on the status of the case
- Close the case when a final determination is issued
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- Step 2:
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- Step 4:
- Step 5:
- a.
- b.
- c.
- Step 6:
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- Step 8:
- Fill out the form (on what your immigration needs are)
- Sign up and log into the client portal to schedule appointment
- Attend scheduled appointment (typically a phone call or zoom)
- Retainment (hire us)
- Start processing case
- Gathering required documents
- Preparing paperwork
- Confirming content of documents that will be submitted
- Filing the case
- Following up on the case status
- Close the case when a final determination is issued