Five Tips for Filing the N-400 Form

If you’re a U.S. permanent resident who has spent the required number of years in the U.S. and meets the other eligibility requirements for U.S. citizenship, the first step in the application process is to fill out USCIS Form N-400. It is important to fill out the N-400 completely and correctly in order to avoid mistakes that may result in delays or a denial.

Learn more about obtaining citizenship through naturalization or how to obtain citizenship through your parents.

The form itself can be downloaded for free from the N-400, Application for Naturalization page of the USCIS website.

Here are some tips to help you fill out the form.

1. Pay Extra Attention to Certain Questions

Many of the questions on Form N-400 are self-explanatory. However, here are some that people are sometimes confused by:

• Part I, Question D; Name change. Because the citizenship swearing-in ceremony often happens in court, this is an opportunity for you to have a legal name change done at the same time. Of course, if you’re happy with your name, then you should ignore this. But if, for example, you have found that no one in the U.S. seems able to spell or pronounce your name, and your life would be easier if it were shortened or changed, now is a chance to make the change easily and cheaply. There are, however, some legal limits on what you can change your name to. For example, if your proposed new name would cause confusion or tread on the rights of others (like if you took the name of a famous person), or the new name is obscene or a racial slur, your request is likely to be denied.
• Part 2, Information About Your Eligibility. Most people will check box A, “I have been a lawful permanent resident for at least five years.” This includes refugees and asylees, despite the fact that they were allowed to credit one or more years of their refugee or asylee status toward their permanent residence. If you check box B or C, indicating that you qualify for an exception allowing you to apply early, be sure to attach proof of what you are claiming.
• Part 3, Question C. The date you became a permanent resident is shown on your green card.
• Part 3, Questions D and E. Your country of birth and country of nationality may well be the same. If, however, you are or have become a citizen of another country (and gave up citizenship in your birth country, if you had it in the first place), that is your country of nationality.
• Part 3, Question F. The reason you’re being asked about whether your parents are U.S. citizens is that it’s possible, depending on the law in effect when you were born, that you acquired or derived citizenship from them, automatically. In that case, you could skip the whole application and apply for a U.S. passport.
• Part 3, Questions H and I. If you have a physical or mental disability, you may qualify for a waiver of the exam requirements, or to take have the interview done in your own language (through an interpreter, which USCIS will provide). The Form N-648 that you’re asked to attach must be filled out by a doctor who examines you. If you are severely disabled and cannot leave your house, USCIS may, in rare cases, agree to visit you and conduct the interview (as an “accommodation”).
• Part 7, Time Outside the United States. This is an important section to get right, because it establishes whether you’ve been physically and continuously present for the required amount of time before applying for citizenship. If you cannot determine exact travel dates, put down as much information as you can, and enter the dates as “approximate.”
• Part 8, Question E. If your spouse has no legal immigration status in the U.S., simply write “alien” here. Thus far, USCIS has not made a priority of using this information to track down undocumented immigrants.
• Part 8, Question G. The number of times your spouse has been married includes your current marriage. So if your spouse was married once before, the answer is, “2.”
• Part 10, Question B. Answering “Yes” to whether you are a member of any groups can be a good thing, if it shows your community involvement and therefore good moral character. For example, being a member of church or religious groups, a parent-teacher’s association, or volunteering for a charity can all help your application. But if you’re a member of a group that advocates world communism, terrorism, violence, or Nazi ideology, it will hurt your application (and you should see an attorney before proceeding).
• Part D, Good Moral Character. If you have had any arrests or committed any crimes, see an attorney before completing this application. The exception is parking tickets, which are not a bar to U.S. citizenship. Traffic tickets are usually okay too, but see an attorney just in case.  Read more: N-400 application with traffic violations.

2. Gather Your Supporting Documents or Pieces of Information

Gather all the documents you will need before you start filling out Form N-400. These may include your passport and all prior addresses and employment information, including addresses and phone numbers. If you have made any trips outside the United States for any, it will help to gather documents showing the exact dates. The form will be easier to fill out if you have the information at your fingertips.

3. Always Tell the Truth

Do not guess at any answer. If you are not sure about an answer, either find the correct information before answering, or offer an explanation as to why you cannot answer it.

If you believe an honest answer might hurt your chances of approval, consult an immigration lawyer before answering. Lying on a N-400 form, or any immigration documents, can lead to removal from the United States, and you could eventually lose your U.S. citizenship even if it is granted.  (Read: False statement at a naturalization interview).

4. Read the Instructions Carefully

Most people will think they can work through the application without instructions, but that could be a costly mistake. USCIS offers detailed instructions for filling out Form N-400. Print the instructions out, and as you work through each question on the instruction sheet, cross off the question and move on to the next.

The instruction sheet will help you determine what documents you need to submit, as well.

5. Get a Second Look

When you have completed the Form N-400, have a family member or friend look it over to make sure every question is answered. Any errors or missing information could result in a delay of your naturalization process, which will already be several months long (depending on how backed up your local USCIS office is). Someone else looking over your application is more likely to find errors you don’t see.

More: Timeline for Filing an N-400 Application

For further help in figuring out whether you are eligible for citizenship, filling out form N-400, preparing for the citizenship exam, and more, see the book Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview, by Ilona Bray, J.D. (Nolo).