United States Citizenship Applications

N-400 applications are for those persons who were not born in the United States but may qualify for naturalization to become a US citizen. Usually, they already have Lawful Permanent Status (also known as a green card) and have lived in the United States a required period of time prior to applying for US citizenship.

An N-600 application is reserved for: (a) those persons who were born outside the United States to a parent who is/was a United States citizen; or (b) persons under 18 years of age, and their parents have already become United States citizens and are therefore considered derivative beneficiaries who may apply for citizenship.

You do not need an attorney to prepare and file your application. However, given the complexity of immigration law in the United States, it is recommended that at the minimum, you consult with an immigration attorney. You may also find it easier to navigate the process by hiring the services of an attorney to assist you in ensuring the application is properly prepared and filed.

Currently, filing fees are $710 if filled out online plus a biometric fee of $85, for a total of $795 or $760 if paperfiled and mailed plus a biometric fee of $85, for a total of $845. Biometric fees do not need to be paid by applicants 75 years of age or older. Both the filing fee and biometric fee are not required for military applicants filing under INA section 328 or 329.

In many cases you can. If one of the parents was a United States citizen at the time of the child’s birth, or naturalized while the child was still a minor, you can file an N-600.

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is considered proof of United States citizenship. If you have this, you do not need to file an N-400 or N-600.

If you are over 18 years of age, you can file N-600 if you were born outside the United States to a US citizen parent or your parent naturalized while you were still a minor. There is no age limit for filing an N-600 as long as you qualify prior to turning 18 years of age.

Prior to applying for naturalization with the United States, you should check the rules of your home country and determine if you can maintain dual citizenship with the US and your home country. Some countries do not allow dual citizenship. Other countries may require you to apply for what is known as a Retention Permit to keep the citizenship of your home country.

USCIS will provide detailed reasoning for their decision. An appeal may be possible. If not, or if an appeal is unlikely to be successful, you may have an opportunity to file another N-400 petition in the future, depending on the reasons for the denial.

N-600 petitions can only be filed one time. At the time of denial, USCIS will provide detailed reasoning for their decision. If you feel the denial is in error, an appeal may be possible.

Processing times vary depending on where the application is filed and how long each processing center is taking to review and adjudicate applications. You will need to prepare for a civics test and you will be asked to read and write in English. At some point, an interview will be scheduled at your local USCIS office. We will help you prepare for your interview.