United States Citizenship Requirements
The ordinary US naturalisation route combines five years as a lawful permanent resident with continuous residence, physical presence, English and civics requirements.
Permanent and continuous residence
Age 18 or over, at least five years as a lawful permanent resident, and five years of continuous US residence immediately before filing.
Physical presence is separate
At least 30 months physically in the US within the preceding five years, plus three months in the responsible state or USCIS district.
English
Basic reading, writing and speaking are required, with exceptions for qualifying applicants. USCIS does not assign a CEFR level here.
Civics, character and oath
Civics knowledge, good moral character, attachment to constitutional principles and an oath are separate requirements; consult current test and exception guidance.
Form N-400
Use USCIS Form N-400 and its current instructions after checking which naturalisation route applies.
Scope and limitations
- Continuous residence and physical presence are different tests. Absences and exemptions need individual review; this summary is not an approval or processing-time prediction.
Next review due . An official update can change these requirements sooner.
Check multiple-citizenship policy and its review dateOfficial sources
- I am a lawful permanent resident of 5 yearsUS Citizenship and Immigration Services · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · EN