By Erick Widman, Immigration Attorney, Passage Immigration Law.
Citizenship is the most common long-term goal for green card holders we meet, and the rules around the application have tightened over the past year. USCIS changed the civics test, issued new guidance on good moral character, and reinstated neighborhood investigations. This guide covers what you need to know before you file Form N-400 on the USCIS website. For an overview of how we help, see our citizenship and naturalization services.
The short version
- If you file Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 civics test: 20 questions drawn from a bank of 128, and you must answer 12 correctly.
- USCIS now looks harder at good moral character and, since August 2026 guidance, may investigate your conduct, residence, and reputation through interviews in your neighborhood and workplace.
- You can file up to 90 days before you meet the residence requirement, but you must meet every other requirement on the day you file.
- The government filing fee is $760 on paper or $710 online (fee schedule dated 10/07/26). That fee is not part of the October 16, 2026 fee adjustment.
Are you eligible?
The general rule under INA 316(a), 8 U.S.C. 1427(a) is that you must be a lawful permanent resident for at least five years, with continuous residence in the United States for those five years, physical presence for at least 30 months of that period, and at least three months of residence in the state or USCIS district where you file. You must also show good moral character, an ability to read, write, and speak basic English, and knowledge of U.S. history and government.
If you have been married to and living with a U.S. citizen for three years, INA 319(a), 8 U.S.C. 1430(a) may let you apply after three years as a permanent resident, with 18 months of physical presence. Your spouse must have been a citizen for those three years. Not sure which form applies to you? Read our comparison of N-400 versus N-600.
You may file Form N-400 up to 90 calendar days before you complete the continuous residence period (five years or three years). Do not file earlier. Early filing outside that window is rejected or denied.
Trips of six months or more can raise continuous residence questions, and trips of a year or more generally break it. Count your days carefully. See our guide to calculating your days in the U.S. for naturalization.
The 2025 civics test
USCIS administers the 2025 civics test to everyone who files Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. Applicants who filed earlier take the 2008 test.
- The test is oral. The officer asks up to 20 questions from a bank of 128 published questions.
- You must answer 12 correctly to pass. The officer stops when you reach 12 correct answers or 9 incorrect answers.
- Applicants age 65 or older who have been permanent residents for at least 20 years get a shorter version: 10 questions drawn from a specially selected bank of 20 questions, with 6 correct answers required.
- Some answers depend on who holds an office at the time of your interview, so study the current answers on the USCIS Check for Test Updates page.
You also take an English test (speaking is assessed during the interview, plus reading and writing). Exceptions exist based on age and time as a permanent resident (for example age 50 with 20 years, or age 55 with 15 years), and for qualifying medical disabilities with Form N-648. USCIS tightened its review of N-648 forms in June 2025, so work with a qualified doctor and an attorney if you rely on that exception. For practical tips, read our guides to preparing for the naturalization tests and the naturalization interview.
Good moral character
You must show good moral character during the statutory period before you file and until you take the oath. On August 15, 2025, USCIS issued a policy memorandum on good moral character calling for a more holistic evaluation that looks at the totality of your conduct, including whether you meet community standards where you live, and gives weight to evidence of rehabilitation. The memo lists examples of rehabilitation evidence: paying overdue child support, completing probation, paying overdue taxes, repaying benefits, and credible community testimony.
Issues we see most often:
- Arrests, citations, or charges, including dismissed matters and DUI
- Unpaid taxes or unfiled returns (see our post on taxes and naturalization)
- Overdue child support
- False claims to U.S. citizenship, voter registration, or voting. USCIS updated Policy Manual Volume 12, Part F on false claims and unlawful voting in August 2025.
- Selective Service registration, where it applied to you
- Inaccurate or incomplete answers on the N-400
Disclose everything the form asks about, even if a record was sealed or dismissed. Hiding a matter that USCIS later finds is often worse than the matter itself. On September 14, 2026, USCIS also issued a policy update on loss of nationality and revocation of naturalization (Policy Manual Volume 12, Part L). It reorganizes guidance on referring cases and lists priorities that include fraud, false claims to citizenship, unlawful voting, and marriage fraud. It does not change the legal grounds for revocation, and only a federal court can revoke citizenship. This is another reason accuracy on the application matters.
For more on what USCIS examines, read our post on how USCIS examines good moral character and our good moral character checklist.
Neighborhood investigations are back
Under INA 335(a), 8 U.S.C. 1446(a), USCIS must investigate every naturalization applicant. For years USCIS generally waived the neighborhood investigation component. In August 2025 USCIS ended the general waiver, and on August 25, 2026 it issued a policy update on investigations for naturalization eligibility, revising Policy Manual Volume 12, Part B to reintroduce these investigations.
Under the USCIS Policy Manual chapter on background investigations, a neighborhood investigation can include interviews with people who know you, such as neighbors, landlords, coworkers, supervisors, or business associates, around your residences and workplace, covering at least the five years before you filed. USCIS may waive the investigation in individual cases. Investigators also review character letters submitted on your behalf. USCIS must give you notice and a chance to respond if it plans to deny based on derogatory information it learns, and the Policy Manual says the absence of character letters alone does not justify a finding against good moral character.
What this means for you: make sure your addresses and employment history on the N-400 are accurate and complete. Tell your landlord, employer, and close neighbors that a USCIS investigator might contact them. Consider optional character letters from U.S. citizens who know you personally. Your attorney can help you decide whether letters make sense in your case.
Government fees
| Form | Paper | Online |
|---|---|---|
| N-400, Application for Naturalization | $760 | $710 |
Source: USCIS Form G-1055 fee schedule, edition 10/07/26. You cannot file online if you are requesting a fee waiver or reduced fee. Confirm the fee before you file, because USCIS rejects filings with the wrong amount.
Before you file: a short checklist
- Confirm your eligibility date, physical presence, and continuous residence from your travel history.
- Pull your FBI and court records if you have ever been arrested or cited.
- Confirm taxes are filed and paid for the statutory period.
- Gather passports, travel records, and addresses and employers for the last five years.
- Study the 128 USCIS civics questions and practice speaking, reading, and writing English.
- Keep your green card valid. If it will expire while your case is pending, ask us about renewing it.
Frequently asked questions
When can I file Form N-400?
You may file up to 90 days before you complete five years of continuous residence as a permanent resident, or three years if you qualify as the spouse of a U.S. citizen under INA 319(a). You must meet all other requirements on the filing date.
Which civics test will I take?
If you file on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test with 128 questions. Applicants who filed before that date take the 2008 test.
Can I become a citizen if I have an arrest on my record?
Sometimes. It depends on the offense, when it happened, and what happened afterward. Some offenses permanently bar naturalization, and others are conditional bars that depend on timing. Have an attorney review your records before you file.
Will USCIS visit my neighbors?
It may. USCIS reintroduced neighborhood investigations in 2025 and incorporated them into the Policy Manual in August 2026. They are discretionary and can be waived in individual cases.
Should I submit character letters?
They are optional. Letters from U.S. citizens who know you personally can help, but whether to submit them is a case-by-case decision.
How long will my case take?
Check the USCIS case processing times page for your field office. We do not quote a timeline because it changes.
Next steps
If you are thinking about filing, an attorney review of your eligibility date, travel history, and records before you submit lets problems surface before USCIS finds them. Request a consultation with Passage Immigration Law or call (503) 427-8243. You can also download our free Citizenship Guide and Document Checklist.
Results depend on the facts of each case, and nothing here guarantees an outcome.
Sources
- INA 316(a), 8 U.S.C. 1427(a), requirements for naturalization
- INA 319(a), 8 U.S.C. 1430(a), spouses of U.S. citizens
- INA 335(a), 8 U.S.C. 1446(a), investigation of applicants
- Federal Register notice of implementation of the 2025 naturalization civics test (Sept. 18, 2025)
- USCIS 2025 Civics Test page
- USCIS policy alert revising guidance on the civics educational requirement (Oct. 20, 2025)
- USCIS Check for Test Updates page
- USCIS policy memorandum on the good moral character evaluation standard (Aug. 15, 2025)
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part B, Ch. 2, background investigation and security checks
- USCIS policy alert on investigations and examinations for naturalization eligibility (Aug. 25, 2026)
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part D, Ch. 4, physical presence
- USCIS policy alert on loss of nationality and revocation of naturalization (Sept. 14, 2026)
- USCIS Form G-1055 fee schedule (10/07/26)
- USCIS Form N-400 instructions (PDF)
