How to fill out an application for US citizenship: step by step instructions

With 20 pages of questions (and another 18 pages of instructions), the Naturalization Application (Form N400) can be intimidating for many. How to understand it, the publication explained Citizen path.

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Form N-400 (application for naturalization) most applicants can prepare without the assistance of an attorney. The main thing is to carefully approach the filling process.

If you are ready to apply for US citizenship yourself, go to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website (USCIS), download Form N-400 and instructions for filing it.

Part 1: Information about your eligibility for naturalization

Part 1 is one of the most important sections of Form N-400. It determines on what grounds you apply for naturalization. Most applicants will apply as a "lawful permanent resident of the United States for at least 5 years" (i.e. a green card holder). But some applicants can apply for US citizenship after less than 5 years of living in America.

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The three most common grounds for obtaining US citizenship are:

• Lawful permanent resident for at least 5 years.
• Lawful permanent resident for at least 3 years who has been married to a US citizen for at least 3 years.
• Persons who have served in the US armed forces.

Part 2: personal information

Here you need to carefully approach the points where you need to specify the name. Oddly enough, it is associated with the most confusion.

official name

Your legal name is your full name at the moment. This is usually the name that appears on your birth certificate, unless it has been changed through marriage or court order.

Name on your green card

The name on the green card may differ from the official name. Enter your name exactly as it appears on your green card (even if it is misspelled or you changed it after the green card was issued).

Other names

Your other names include any additional names you have used in the past. Typically, this section should include your maiden name, as well as any first names (including pseudonyms) that you have used on various legal documents, bank accounts, identification documents (such as driver's licenses, work permits), crime records, and school records. If you were commonly known by a different name, you must enter it here.

Part 3: assistance for persons with disabilities and/or impairments

Don't let your disability be a barrier to naturalization. USCIS will take reasonable steps during your meetings. So if you need help with a wheelchair, sign language, or anything else, use Part 3 to describe your needs.

Part 4: contact information

Although USCIS will generally contact applicants by mail, please leave at least one reliable phone number where the immigration agent can reach you just in case.

Part 5: information about the place of residence

Most applicants must provide a five-year history of their US addresses. However, if the basis of your application for US citizenship is marriage to a US citizen within three years, you will only need to document three years of address history.

IMPORTANT: In Part 5 of Form N-400, list all your addresses for 5 years (or 3 years) of living in America. USCIS uses Part 5 to determine if you have met the permanent residence requirement. In other words, this is evidence that you have actually lived in the US for the past five years.

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This does not mean that you had to sit in the US all the time. For example, a person may go to their home country for a few weeks or even a couple of months and return to the United States. In this example, the applicant traveled temporarily outside the United States, but always maintained permanent residence in America. However, moving to another country and establishing a place of residence there may result in the denial of an N-400 and even the loss of permanent resident status.

Specify the postal address where you can definitely receive mail. The US Postal Service will not forward official letters from USCIS. Therefore, if you move after filing the N-400, call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 to update your address.

Part 6: Information about parents

If neither of your parents is a US citizen, you can skip this section. But if your mother or father is currently a US citizen, you must complete Part 6. If you have a US citizen parent, it is important to determine if there is a possibility that you are already a US citizen.

Part 7: biographical information

The FBI uses Part 7 background information for criminal background checks. This is a standard part of the naturalization process to ensure that you meet the "good moral character" requirement.

Part 8: information about work experience and education

Most applicants need to indicate where they worked during their five years of living in the US, as well as describe their education (in America and outside of it). If the basis of your application for US citizenship is marriage to a US citizen for three years, you will only need to document three years of work in America. List all your employers and schools (including military service).

Being unemployed and even receiving benefits is not an obstacle to naturalization. So write the truth in the application.

Part 9: time outside the US

Part 9 must include time spent outside the United States in the last five (or three) years.

List any trip outside the United States of 24 hours or more. USCIS will use this section to confirm that you have met the requirements for permanent residence and physical presence. If you have been away from the US for a period of six months or more, talk to an immigration attorney to determine if you have violated your permanent resident status.

It can be very difficult to remember the exact dates of travels that happened many years ago. If the passport and personal records do not help, submit a request about your travel history with the US Border Patrol. It is filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and takes several weeks to complete.

Part 10: Family History Information

This section is most relevant for those applying on the basis of marriage to a US citizen, but all applicants must complete it. USCIS will use the information to determine if the marriage that formed the basis of permanent resident status was valid.

If one of the spouses has previous marriages, it is very important that they are dissolved before a new marriage, and that you have documents confirming this.

Part 11: Information about children

USCIS wants you to list all of your children, regardless of whether:

• alive, missing or dead;
• were born in other countries or in the USA;
• adults or not;
• are married or not;
• live with you or elsewhere;
• stepsons or stepdaughters legally adopted;
• born in or out of wedlock.

It is extremely important that your minor children are listed here. As a general rule, minor children permanently residing in the US automatically become US citizens when the parent they live with naturalizes. If you have a child who is in the United States without legal immigration status, seek the help of an immigration attorney.

Part 12: Additional Information

This section consists of many questions to be answered with Yes/No.

The questions focus on your moral character. It is very important that you answer them honestly. If you think any of your answers might create problems, seek the advice of an immigration attorney.

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The two topics that most often cause problems for applicants include tax returns and deregistration for Selective Service. If you have not filed your tax returns as required or have unpaid taxes, you will need to enter into an agreement with the IRS (or other tax authority) before applying for naturalization. Similarly, if you are a male who lived in the United States between the ages of 18 and 26, you must register with Selective Service or explain why you did not.

And most importantly: don't lie! If USCIS finds evidence that you lied, you may be denied naturalization and even deported.

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