Get Dhs M-476 2016-2026

Determine your eligibility to become a U.S. citizen. In general, you may qualify for naturalization if you are at least 18 years old and have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years (or 3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen) and meet all other eligibility requirements.

You must have your permanent resident status for 3 years before filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Your time as a permanent resident begins the day you were granted permanent resident status. You can find the date on your green card next to "Resident Since."

Processing times for Form N-400 (officially called the “Application for Naturalization”) have decreased in 2023, averaging 6.4 months. For more up to date timelines, Boundless analyzes monthly processing times at USCIS field offices across the country. You can find our timeline estimates for Form N-400 here.

While there is no specific time limit, staying outside the United States for an extended period can have consequences. If you remain outside the United States for over a year without getting a re-entry permit or returning to the country, you may lose your permanent resident status.

3 Years of Continuous Residence. The spouse of a U.S. citizen residing in the United States must have continuously resided in the United States as an LPR for at least 3 years immediately preceding the date of the filing the application and up to the time of the Oath of Allegiance.

Proof of Immigration Status or Lawful Presence Permanent Resident Card or “Green Card” (I-551). Temporary I-551 stamp on form I-94/I-94A or on a foreign passport. Machine Readable Immigrant Visa with temporary I-551 language. Reentry Permit (I-327). Arrival/Departure Record (I-94) (showing stamp for admission as LPR).

A Guide to Naturalization (M-476) provides information on: The benefits and responsibilities of citizenship; An overview of the naturalization process; and. Eligibility requirements.