U.S. Citizenship Eligibility 2025: Naturalization Rules

Taking the First Step Toward U.S. Citizenship

Becoming a U.S. citizen is a major milestone and a dream for many green card holders. Naturalization offers benefits such as the right to vote, travel freely, and access more opportunities. To qualify, you must meet eligibility requirements, including age, length of permanent residency, good moral character, English language skills, and knowledge of U.S. history and government.

Understanding these criteria will help you prepare your Form N-400 application with confidence. We guide you through each step, making the process easier and helping you successfully become a U.S. citizen.

U.S. Citizenship Eligibility Requirements

To become a U.S. citizen, all naturalization applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements. Most applicants qualify under these standard rules, but some—such as military service members or those with special exemptions—may have different paths. Learn more about these special cases in our Naturalization Guide.

1. Be at least 18 years old.
2. Maintain continuous and physical residence in the U.S. for the required number of years as a green card holder.
3. Establish residency in the state or USCIS district where you plan to apply.
4. Demonstrate good moral character.
5. Be proficient in English (speaking, reading, and writing) and show knowledge of U.S. history and government.
6. Register for Selective Service if you are a male within the required age range and be willing to perform civil service if needed.
7. Swear allegiance to the United States.

Ready to Take the Next Step?
Ready to take the next step? If you meet these requirements, we can guide you through completing Form N-400 and the entire naturalization process with confidence and ease.

Minimum Age

To apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization, you must be at least 18 years old when you file Form N-400. This ensures applicants are legally adults and can take the Oath of Allegiance responsibly. If you are applying based on wartime military service, there is no minimum age requirement. Make sure you meet the age eligibility requirements before starting your application.

Continuous and Physical Presence Requirements

To qualify for U.S. citizenship, you must meet both continuous residence and physical presence requirements. These are critical eligibility criteria — failing to meet them can delay or prevent your application.

Demonstrating Continuous Residence

Continuous residence means you have not spent six months or more outside the United States during the required period — usually five years as a permanent resident, or three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen.

Factors that affect continuous residence:

• Length of your trip abroad
• Reason for not returning sooner
• USCIS officer discretion — officers may still deny your application for other reasons, such as frequent international travel

If you served in the U.S. military, you may not need to meet the continuous residence requirement. See our naturalization guide for military eligibility rules.

Proving Continuous Residence After Long Trips Abroad

Trips Lasting 181 to 364 Days

If you were outside the U.S. for more than six months but less than one year, USCIS may think you abandoned your permanent residence. To avoid denial, you must show that you intended to keep your U.S. home.

Examples of strong evidence:

• You kept your U.S. job and did not work overseas
• Your close family members stayed in the U.S.
• You maintained a home or lease in the U.S.
• Your children stayed enrolled in U.S. schools

Trips of 365 Days or More

If you were outside the U.S. for one year or longer, USCIS will automatically assume you gave up your residence. Your application will be denied. You will have to wait before applying again:

• 5-year rule: wait 4 years + 1 day after returning
• 3-year rule (spouse of U.S. citizen): wait 2 years + 1 day after returning

How to Avoid Breaking Continuous Residence

If you need to stay abroad for a long time, take steps before leaving:

1. Apply for a Re-entry Permit (Form I-131)

• File while in the U.S. and complete biometrics before departure.
• You can pick up the permit from a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
• Valid for 2 years, not extendable. Return before it expires.

Important Note: Form I-131 is also used for Advance Parole. A re-entry permit is for green card holders; Advance Parole is for green card applicants.

2. Apply for Preservation of Residence (Form N-470)

• Available if your overseas job qualifies under U.S. government rules.
• You must also apply for a re-entry permit.

3. Apply for a Returning Resident Visa (SB-1)

• If you had to stay abroad unexpectedly for 1+ years without a re-entry permit.
• File Form DS-117, attend an interview, and show proof that your long absence was beyond your control (such as a medical emergency).

Demonstrating “Physical Presence”

Besides continuous residence, you must also meet the physical presence requirement.

• 5-year rule: At least 913 days (about 2.5 years) in the U.S.
• 3-year spouse rule: At least 548 days (about 1.5 years) in the U.S.

USCIS counts both the day you leave and the day you return as days in the U.S. Example: If you leave on March 10 and return on August 10, both days count as physical presence.

Meeting the Residency Requirement

The residency requirement is different from continuous residence and physical presence.

In simple terms, residency is the place where you live and have made your home. To qualify, you must live in the state or USCIS district where you plan to apply for citizenship for at least 3 months immediately before filing Form N-400.

“State” includes:

• The District of Columbia
• Puerto Rico
• Guam
• The U.S. Virgin Islands
• The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

USCIS district: This is the area served by your local USCIS field office, based on your ZIP code. USCIS usually considers your residency to be the “current physical address” listed on your Form N-400, even if you apply up to 90 days early.

Proof of residency:
The address you provide should be the place where you have built your life, such as where you:

• Registered to vote
• Pay taxes
• Hold a state ID or driver’s license

Special case for students:
If you are a student and still financially dependent on your parents, you can apply for naturalization from either your school’s location or your family’s home address.

For more exceptions, see the USCIS Policy Manual.

Good Moral Character (GMC)

When USCIS talks about “good moral character” (GMC), they mean that your behavior is consistent with what most people in your community would consider honest, responsible, and law-abiding. It doesn’t mean being perfect — but it does mean showing you can be trusted to follow the law and respect others.

USCIS makes this decision case by case. In most situations, they review your conduct during the 3 or 5 years before you apply for naturalization (depending on your eligibility category) up until you take the Oath of Allegiance. However, they may also look further back in your past if they believe it’s relevant.

What Can Harm Your Good Moral Character

To meet this requirement, you should avoid:

• Serious crimes like murder, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, prostitution, or immigration fraud.
• Dishonesty with USCIS, such as lying during your naturalization interview.
• Multiple DUI convictions within the review period (though in some cases you may show evidence of rehabilitation).
• Failing to support dependents, such as not paying required child or spousal support.
• Willfully avoiding Selective Service registration (if you were required to register).
• Habitual drunkenness or repeated drug-related offenses.
• Smuggling or assisting others to enter the U.S. illegally.

Positive Factors Matter (New USCIS Policy in 2025)

In August 2025, USCIS updated its policy to take a more balanced approach when reviewing GMC. This means that in addition to negative actions, officers also consider your positive contributions, such as:

• Steady employment and paying taxes.
• Supporting your family and community.
• Volunteering, military service, or other civic contributions.
• Showing rehabilitation or personal growth after past mistakes.

This holistic review ensures that applicants are judged fairly, based on their overall character, not just isolated events.

Military Service Exceptions

If you’re applying for naturalization through U.S. military service, some of the standard GMC requirements may not apply, and USCIS uses different rules to evaluate your case.

English Proficiency and Civics Knowledge Requirements

As part of becoming a U.S. citizen, you must pass a two-part naturalization test:

English Language Test – Measures your ability to read, write, and speak basic English.

• During your citizenship interview, the USCIS officer will ask you questions about your N-400 application to assess your speaking skills.
• You will also be asked to read and write simple sentences in English.

Civics Test – Measures your knowledge of U.S. history and government.

• The test is based on a list of 100 possible questions.
• Most applicants will be asked 10 questions and must answer at least 6 correctly to pass.
• Depending on your age and how long you’ve held your green card, you may only need to answer 20 specific questions.

Some applicants may qualify for exemptions from one or both tests. For complete details, including who qualifies, what to expect, and how to prepare, see our U.S. Citizenship Exam Guide with study resources and tips.

Military and Civil Service Registration

As part of naturalization, you must show your willingness to defend the United States if required. For most male applicants between the ages of 18 and 26, this means registering with the Selective Service System, which keeps records of individuals who could be called upon in a national emergency.

Note: Female applicants are not required to register. Also, if you were older than 26 when you became a green card holder, this requirement may not apply to you.

In many cases, USCIS may have sent your information to the Selective Service when you received your green card. If you’re unsure whether you’re registered—or if you need proof of exemption—you can request an official status information letter through the Selective Service website or by mail.

Who Must Register with the Selective Service for U.S. Citizenship?

You must register with the Selective Service System if all of the following are true:

• You are a male green card holder.
• You lived in the United States at any time between the ages of 18 and 26.
• If you became a green card holder while between ages 18–26, you must register within 30 days.

Who Does Not Need to Register with the Selective Service?

You generally do not have to register if you are male and any of the following apply:

• You are over 26 years old.
• You did not live in the U.S. between ages 18–26.
• You were in the U.S. during that time but only in a temporary or nonimmigrant status (such as a student or work visa).
• You were born between March 29, 1957, and December 31, 1959, when registration was suspended.

If unsure, check with the Selective Service System to confirm your status.

How and When to Register with the Selective Service?

If you are under 26 and haven’t registered yet, do so before applying for U.S. citizenship. Failure to register when required can delay or even prevent your application from being approved.

Ways to register:

• Online at the Selective Service System website
• At your local post office
• By mail using a registration card sent to you

Once registered, you’ll receive a Registration Acknowledgement Card. Keep this safe—USCIS may request it as proof during your naturalization process. If lost, you can request official proof directly from the Selective Service System.

What Will Happen If You Miss the Selective Service Registration Deadline?

If you are over 26 and haven’t registered, you can no longer do so. Your eligibility for U.S. citizenship will depend on your age and the circumstances of your case.

Applicants Under 26 Years Old

If you are still under 26 and have not registered, you are generally ineligible for naturalization. The only exceptions are if you can prove you were not required to register or were exempt.

Applicants Between 26 and 31 Years Old

If you failed to register, USCIS will give you a chance to explain. You may remain eligible if you can show that:

1. Your failure was not knowing or willful, or
2. You were not required or were exempt, or
3. You did register but it was not properly recorded.

What You Can Submit:

• A Status Information Letter from the Selective Service confirming your status.
• A notarized affidavit explaining why you did not know about the requirement.
• Affidavits from others who can confirm your explanation.

Applicants Age 31 or Older (29 if married to a U.S. citizen)

Once you reach 31, the statutory period for Selective Service registration has passed. Failure to register is no longer an automatic bar to naturalization. However, USCIS can still review your history under the “good moral character” requirement. If they believe you willfully ignored the law, it may affect your application.

Allegiance to the United States

To become a U.S. citizen, you need to show that you believe in and support the U.S. Constitution. This means you agree to follow U.S. laws and are ready to help protect the country if needed.

After your application is approved and you pass your interview and tests, the last step is to attend a special ceremony called the naturalization ceremony. At this ceremony, you will take the Oath of Allegiance, which officially makes you a U.S. citizen.

Before you take the oath, you will be asked some questions to make sure you understand what you are promising. You will confirm that:

• You are taking the oath by your own choice.
• You promise to be loyal only to the United States and give up loyalty to any other countries you belong to.
• You understand the duties of being a U.S. citizen, including the possibility of serving in the military or doing other public service if needed, and you plan to do these duties.

Taking the Oath of Allegiance is the final step to becoming a U.S. citizen.

FAQs on U.S. Citizenship Eligibility

Ready to Begin Your Journey Toward U.S. Citizenship?

Meeting the eligibility requirements is just the start of your path to U.S. citizenship. With careful preparation and expert support from ImmigrationDirect, including access to trusted lawyer consultations, you can confidently navigate the naturalization process. Don’t wait—connect with us today to get personalized guidance and take the first step toward becoming a proud U.S. citizen. Your American dream is within reach, and we are here to help you make it happen!