Form N-400 at a glance
What it is: Form N-400 is the Application for Naturalization for the person applying for naturalization.
Who signs: USCIS will not accept a stamped or typewritten name in place of any signature on this application. If you are under 14 years of age, your mother, father or legal guardian may sign the application on your behalf.[2]
Where and when to file: Please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/N-400 for the most current information about where to file this application.[2]
What to bring and attach to Form N-400
You should submit legible photocopies of requested documents unless the Instructions specifically instruct you to submit an original document.[2]
If you submit a document with information in a foreign language, you must also submit a full English translation.[2]
Provide current marriage certificate and any divorce decree, annulment decree, or death certificate showing that your prior marriages were terminated (if applicable).
A filled-in Form N-400 example: a green card holder files under the General Provision
How to fill out Form N-400, box by box
Part 1. Information About Your Eligibility
Select only one box to identify the basis of your eligibility or your Form N-400 may be delayed or rejected.
Box 8, General Provision: select this box if you have been a lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States for at least 5 years.
You are at least 18 years of age when you file.
You have demonstrated continuous residence in the United States for at least 5 years.
You have demonstrated physical presence in the United States for at least 30 months (913 days).
You have lived in the U.S. state or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) district where you claim residence for at least 3 months before filing; you demonstrate good moral character; you demonstrate an attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Box 8, Spouse of U.S. Citizen: select this box if you seek to naturalize based on your marriage to a U.S. citizen.
Generally, to qualify for naturalization based on marriage to a U.S. citizen, you must have been a lawful permanent resident for at least 3 years.[2]
Enter Your 9 Digit A-Number
Provide your A-Number (if any), on the top right corner of each page.
If the A-Number on your card has fewer than nine digits, place enough zeros before the first number to make a total of nine digits on Form N-400.[2]
Your current legal name, other names, date of birth and the date you became a lawful permanent resident
Your current legal name is the name on your birth certificate unless it changed after birth by a marriage, divorce, or court order.
Provide all other names you have ever used, including aliases, maiden name, family name at birth, assumed names, nicknames, and alternate spellings or variations of names.
Box 8, Provide your date of birth in this order: Month, Day, Year.
Your Form N-400 will be rejected if you do not provide your date of birth.
Your application may be rejected if you are a lawful permanent resident and do not provide the date you became a lawful permanent resident.[2]
Your weight in pounds
Enter your weight in pounds.[2]
Physical Addresses and Mailing Address
List every location where you have lived during the last 5 years if you are filing based on the general provision under Part 1., Item Number 1.a.
Mailing Address If your mailing address is not the same as your current physical address or if you did not provide a complete physical address, you must provide a current mailing address.
If you do not provide a current, complete, and valid mailing address, your Form N-400 may be rejected.[2]
Single, never married, and the children under 18 years of age
If you are single and have never married, go to Part 6.
Indicate your total number of children under 18 years of age.[2]
Where you have worked or attended school
List where you have worked or attended school full time or part time during the last 5 years if you are filing based on the general provision under Part 1., Item Number 1.a.
If you worked for yourself and not for a specific employer, type or print “self-employed” for the employer name.
If you were unemployed, type or print “unemployed.”
If you are retired, type or print “retired.”
Trips outside the United States
List below all the trips that you have taken outside the United States during the last 5 years if you are filing based on the general provision under Part 1., Item Number 1.a.
Start with your most recent trip and work backwards.
Do not include day trips (where the entire trip was completed within 24 hours) in the table.
If you have taken any trips outside the United States that lasted more than 6 months, see the Required Evidence - Continuous Residence section of the Instructions for evidence you should provide.
Questions that include the word EVER
When a question includes the word “EVER,” you must provide information about any of your actions or conduct that occurred anywhere in the world at any time, unless the question specifies otherwise.
You must disclose this information even if someone, including a judge, law enforcement officer, or attorney, told you that it is no longer on your record, or told you that you do not have to disclose the information.
Sign and date your application
You must sign and date your application and, if applicable, provide your daytime telephone number, mobile telephone number, and email address.
If your application is not signed, or if the signature is not valid, it will be rejected.
USCIS will consider a photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of an original benefit request with a handwritten signature as valid for filing purposes.
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material fact or submit a false document with your Form N-400, USCIS will deny your application and may deny any other immigration benefit. If USCIS accepts a request for adjudication and determines that it has a deficient signature, USCIS may reject or deny the request.[2]
The interpreter and the person who completed your application
If you used anyone as an interpreter to read the Instructions and questions on this application to you in a language in which you are fluent, the interpreter must fill out this section and sign and date the application.
The person who completed your application, if other than the applicant, must sign this section.[2]
Do not complete Parts 15. or 16. until the USCIS officer instructs you
Do not complete Parts 15. or 16. until the USCIS officer instructs you to do so at the interview.
More rules for Form N-400
Type or print legibly in black ink.[2]
You must include all pages when you file Form N-400, even if the pages are blank.[2]
If your answer to a question that requires a numeric response is zero or none (for example, “How many children do you have” or “How many times have you departed the United States”), type or print “None” unless otherwise directed.[2]
USCIS will reject any Form N-400 that is not signed or accompanied by the correct filing fee.[2]
If your situation is different
You file early
Early Filing If you are applying based on lawful permanent residence for 5 years, you may generally file your application up to 90 days before meeting the required 5-year period of continuous residence as a lawful permanent resident.[2]
You may already be a U.S. citizen
If your mother or father (including legal adoptive mother or father) is a U.S. citizen by birth, or was naturalized before you reached your 18th birthday, you may not need to file Form N-400 as you may already be a U.S. citizen. Before you file this application, please visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/N-600 for Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship.
Common questions about Form N-400
What documents do I need to submit with my N-400?
When you file your application, you must submit all evidence and supporting documents at the time of filing; however, USCIS may accept evidence you provide at your interview. See each part of the Specific Instructions by Item Number for the specific evidence required.[2]
Where do I file it?
Please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/N-400 for the most current information about where to file this application.[2]
Are there fees?
See Form G-1055, available at www.uscis.gov/forms, for specific information about the fees applicable to this form.[2]
Sources
[1] Form N-400 (Edition 01/20/25), Application for Naturalization, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (the Official source link on this page).