U.S. naturalization (Form N-400)It requires a green card: temporary residence does not count. Generally five years as a permanent resident, or three if you're married to a U.S. citizen. But three separate clocks run at once and confuse almost everyone: your years with the green card, continuous residence (long trips break it), and physical presence (you must have been inside the country at least half the period). There's also…Confirm which clock applies: five years or threeThe general rule is five years with a green card. If you're married to a U.S. citizen and living together, three years is enough. But the three-year route has strict conditions: your spouse must have been a citizen for the ENTIRE three-year period, and you must still be married and living together…Check your travel history against the other two clocksThis is where most cases fail. Beyond the green card years, two separate rules run: CONTINUOUS RESIDENCE, broken by trips of six months or more (and a trip of a year or more can reset your whole clock); and PHYSICAL PRESENCE, requiring you to have been inside the country at least half the period:…Use the 90-day ruleUSCIS lets you file the N-400 up to 90 calendar days BEFORE reaching your three- or five-year anniversary. In practice, the five-year rule is a four-year-and-nine-month rule. It's free time many people don't use because they don't know about it.Sort out taxes and records before filingUSCIS reviews good moral character throughout the eligibility period and requests tax transcripts. Unfiled returns or outstanding balances are red flags: resolve them before, not after. Any arrest must be disclosed, even if old or expunged under state law. And if you're male and lived in the U.S.…File the N-400 using the current editionYou can file online through myUSCIS (usually cheaper) or on paper. Download the form fresh and check that ALL pages are the current edition: mixing editions causes automatic rejection. Complete packets usually run 50 to 150 pages depending on your travel history, so give it time. Keep a copy of…Biometrics and test preparationUSCIS schedules you at a support center for biometrics. While awaiting the interview, study: the test covers civics (U.S. history and government) and basic ability to read, write, and speak English. The civics test content changed in late 2025, so study the current version published by USCIS, not…Interview, test, and oathA USCIS officer interviews you and administers the test. If you pass and your case is in order, you receive a decision and then attend the oath ceremony, where you're given your naturalization certificate. As soon as you have it: apply for your U.S. passport immediately and update your Social…