Don`t forget to sign! If your signature is missing from your application when USCIS receives it, it will likely reject your application (i.e., refuse acceptance) and ask you to send a new one. However, a recent change in USCIS policy makes it imperative to carefully follow all USCIS instructions, as a single error or missing document may result in your application being rejected. This means you will have to reapply and pay an additional $725 to process your documents (unless you are eligible for a fee reduction or waiver). If you are not currently a U.S. citizen, but one or both of your parents are, you can file Form N-600 (Application for a Citizenship Certificate) to apply for citizenship. To be eligible, you must be under the age of 18 and currently reside in the United States. If you are outside the United States, you can apply for a passport from the U.S. Department of State. If you were born outside the United States and acquired U.S.
citizenship through your U.S. citizen parents, please submit the following with your passport application: In addition to the marriage certificate, you must provide confirmatory proof that the marriage is genuine. In general, this can be demonstrated more effectively with documents that show you combined finances, lived together continuously, and having had children together (if any). The 90-day early filing rule: You can submit your naturalization application to USCIS as early as 90 days before the end of your three- or five-year period as a green card holder — as long as you`ve met all other eligibility criteria. (Boundless has a detailed guide on admission requirements for naturalization.) IMPORTANT: Be sure to make a copy of your completed N-400 before sending it to USCIS. Your citizenship interview focuses largely on the answers you gave to your naturalization application. It is important to check these answers before attending your interview. If your birth was registered before your 18th birthday, the embassy or consulate has issued your parents with a document proving your U.S. citizenship. This document is called the Consular Report on Births Abroad (CRBA or Form FS-240). Learn how to request copies, modifications, or corrections of a consular birth report abroad from the U.S. Department of State (DOS).
Applicants submit supporting documents at different stages of the naturalization process. The following tables indicate which documents must be submitted with your naturalization application (Form N-400) and what documents you must bring to your naturalization interview. Also read our guide on creating digital documents according to U.S. government preferences. Citizenship and naturalization certificates are proof of your U.S. citizenship. If you`re applying on form DS-11, you`ll need to file a primary proof of U.S. citizenship: Learn the steps to become a U.S. citizen, including how to apply, sample test questions, and what the naturalization process looks like. Also find information about dual citizenship, how to get proof of your U.S. citizenship if you were born abroad, or replace your lost or stolen citizenship certificate.
Review your Form N-400 before submitting it. It is important to ensure that all your answers are correct and that all supporting documents are included in your application before sending your documents to the U.S. government. Missing information or documents may delay processing. Even worse, it could result in your application being rejected — based on a new USCIS policy that increases the stakes to accurately complete immigration applications the first time — meaning you`ll have to start the process again and pay the filing fee a second time. If you were born in the United States and there is no birth certificate on file, you will need several different documents to prove your citizenship: USCIS requires N-400 applicants to have a valid, unexpired green card. You will usually need to submit a photocopy of your card with your N-400 application. Although many applicants with a lost, stolen or mutilated green card have successfully obtained citizenship with CitizenPath, we recommend that you have a valid, unexpired green card in your possession. Permanent residents are required by law to provide proof of status (INA 264(e)). After submitting Form N-400, USCIS will send you a notice of appointment for your interview.
The interview, which usually lasts about 20 minutes, is an opportunity to review the information you sent with your application. The agent may also ask a few questions about your background. Boundless has prepared a guide to help you prepare for your citizenship interview. The following naturalization documents can be attached and submitted with Form N-400 or brought to the naturalization interview. However, we recommend that you bring the following lists of naturalization documents to your interview instead of submitting them using Form N-400, as any change that occurs between the filing of the N-400 and the Oath of Allegiance will require you to submit a new receipt reflecting the change, in which case it will cause a delay in your process. Only individuals who have met the eligibility criteria for naturalization may submit an N-400. As a general rule, you must be at least 18 years old and have had a green card for five years (or three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen) – unless you are applying on the basis of eligible military service.
Our naturalization guide lists all the basic admission requirements for U.S. citizenship. There are additional supporting documents that can be attached to your Application for Form N-400 or brought to your naturalization interview. Since changes to these forms may result in a delay after submission, it is recommended that you bring the forms to your naturalization interview instead of attaching them to the N-400 application. If you have already been married, you will need a copy of your current civil status document. This includes your current marriages: 4. If you or your spouse have already been married, add documents showing that your previous marriages have ended. Examples: Maybe you have married since your last green card was issued, you can use this new name on your naturalization certificate as long as you can present documents. Present the marriage certificate as proof. Use only black ink. USCIS is very specific in terms of the color of the ink used to fill out an application, which is why it`s best to fill out the form electronically and then print it out or use a service like Boundless, which prints all your forms and documents that are compiled exactly according to the wishes of the government (learn more about our services. If you decide to fill out your application by hand, make sure you use the right ink color to avoid delays.
If you are a man who lived in the United States between your 18th and 26th birthdays, selective service registration probably applies to you. By law, a man must register for selective service within 30 days of his 18th birthday. The selective service may accept late registration, but not after a man has reached his 26th birthday. ==References==This requirement applies to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees, asylum seekers, and even undocumented aliens. It does not apply to women or foreigners in the United States with nonimmigrant visas.
