At some point after getting a green card, a specific question starts nagging at you: am I actually eligible to become a citizen yet, and is it worth the cost and hassle right now? Both parts of that question have real, current answers, and one of them is genuinely time-sensitive this year.
Are you actually eligible yet?
Two timelines cover almost everyone:
- 5 years of continuous permanent residence is the general rule for most green card holders.
- 3 years applies if you got your green card through marriage to a US citizen, and you’ve been living with that spouse the whole time, and they’ve held citizenship for the full 3 years.
“Continuous residence” doesn’t mean you can never leave the country, but long trips abroad (generally 6 months or more) can interrupt it, and trips of a year or more usually reset your clock entirely. You’ll also need physical presence in the US for at least half of that residence period, be at least 18, demonstrate good moral character, and pass an English and civics test unless you qualify for an age- or disability-based exemption.
What it costs right now
As of today, filing Form N-400 costs $760 by paper or $710 if you file online, plus an $85 biometrics fee where applicable. Applicants 75 and older skip the biometrics fee, and certain military applicants filing under sections 328 or 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act pay nothing at all.
The part that makes timing matter: a large fee increase is proposed, not final
Here’s what’s genuinely worth knowing before you decide to wait: DHS published a proposed rule on June 23, 2026, that would raise the N-400 fee to $1,330 by paper and $1,280 online, roughly a 75 to 80 percent jump. The same proposal would eliminate the reduced-fee option currently available to applicants at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and remove fee waivers for both Form N-400 and Form N-336, though statutory military exemptions would stay in place.
This is a proposed rule, not current law. Public comments were open through August 24, 2026, and a final rule with an actual effective date hadn’t been published as of this writing. But if you’re already eligible and have been putting off applying, this is a concrete, dollar-amount reason to stop putting it off: filing at today’s rate versus a finalized rate roughly $500 to $600 higher isn’t a hypothetical, it’s the specific number on the table.
What the process actually looks like
- File Form N-400 — online through your USCIS account, or by paper.
- Attend a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center, if required for your case.
- Interview and testing — a USCIS officer reviews your application, then tests your English and civics knowledge in the same appointment. If you haven’t started studying yet, our full civics test study guide covers exactly what’s asked and how the current version of the test works.
- Decision — approved, continued (usually meaning USCIS wants more evidence or a second interview), or denied.
- Oath ceremony — the actual moment you become a citizen, typically scheduled a few weeks to a few months after approval.
If you found the green card interview process stressful, the naturalization interview follows a similar rhythm of document review and direct questioning. Here’s what that case-type-by-case-type interview process tends to look like, which is useful context even though naturalization is a different form.
Processing time: don’t trust a single number
Naturalization processing time varies significantly by USCIS field office, sometimes by months, depending on local caseload. Rather than repeating a single average that may already be stale by the time you read this, check the processing time for your specific field office directly on the USCIS website using your form type and location. It’s the only number that’s actually relevant to your case.
FAQ
Do I qualify after 5 years or 3 years with my green card?
5 years is the general rule. 3 years applies only if you got your green card through marriage to a US citizen and have lived with them the entire time, and they’ve been a citizen that whole period too.
How much does N-400 cost right now?
$760 paper, $710 online, plus an $85 biometrics fee where it applies. Watch for a proposed increase to $1,330/$1,280 that hasn’t taken effect yet.
Is the fee increase to $1,330 already in effect?
No. As of this writing it’s a proposed rule with a closed comment period and no published effective date. Current fees still apply until a final rule is issued.
Can I still get a reduced fee based on income?
Yes, under current rules, if your household income is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The proposed rule would eliminate this option going forward.
What happens if my trips abroad were long?
Trips of roughly 6 months or more can interrupt continuous residence, and a trip of a year or more usually resets your eligibility clock. Shorter trips generally don’t cause problems.
Related reading: U.S. Citizenship Civics Test: Complete Study Guide · Green Card Interview Questions by Case Type · Green Card Renewal Timeline
Sources: USCIS — Form N-400; Federal Register — Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments (proposed rule, June 23, 2026). Fees and rules change; confirm current figures on uscis.gov before filing.
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