Documents Required for U.S. Citizenship
What supporting documents are needed for the citizenship application and interview?
As part of the naturalization process, all U.S. citizenship applicants are required to provide supporting documents to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Which documents are necessary depends on each applicant’s situation. Green card holders applying for naturalization based on their marriage to a U.S. citizen, for instance, must provide additional documentation, such as a marriage certificate and their spouse’s U.S. passport. Not sure if you qualify for citizenship? Start by checking your eligibility.
Applicants submit the supporting documents at different stages of the naturalization process. In the tables below, you’ll see which documents are required to be submitted with your Application for Naturalization (Form N-400) and naturalization checklist of which documents you must bring to your naturalization interview. Make sure to also check out our guide to creating digital documents the way the U.S. government prefers. If you don’t have all of these documents on hand, don’t worry! The good news is you can get started on your application now, while you gather your supporting documents. You don’t need every document to start making progress!
If all of this sounds complicated and intimidating, don’t worry! We’ll help you stay on top of interview preparation, follow-on forms, and every other important milestone along the way.
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Form N-400 Required Documents
The documents listed below must be submitted with Form N-400.
| Document Type | Examples of Acceptable Documents | Who Needs to Submit It? |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of green card holder (permanent resident) status |
|
All applicants |
| Application fee payment (see the “Fee Reduction or Waiver” section of our guide to citizenship costs for the appropriate amount, if any) | Send one of the following:
|
All applicants (except those who are exempt or applying for a fee waiver) |
| Proof of current marital status | Send copies of all of the following, if applicable:
|
All currently or previously married applicants |
| Proof of identity |
|
Applicants living and applying from abroad |
| Proof of military service |
|
Applicants filing based on their qualifying military service |
| Proof of medical disability |
|
Applicants requesting an exemption from the citizenship test based on a qualifying medical condition |
| Fee reduction application |
|
Applicants requesting a reduction of the citizenship application fee |
| Fee waiver application |
|
Applicants requesting a waiver of the citizenship application and biometrics fees |
| Request for representation at the the naturalization interview |
|
Applicants who wish to be accompanied by an attorney or other representative at their U.S. citizenship interview |
Not sure if you qualify for U.S. citizenship? You can check your eligibility with RapidVisa. When you’re ready to apply, we can guide you through every milestone of the naturalization process, starting with your citizenship application all the way to the finish line.
Naturalization Interview Required Documents
You must bring the documents listed below with your interview appointment letter to your naturalization interview.
| Document Type | Examples of Acceptable Documents | Who Needs to Submit It? |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of green card holder (permanent resident) status |
|
All applicants |
| State-issued identification |
|
All applicants |
| Travel records | Bring all of the following:
|
All applicants |
| Proof of current marital status and termination of your prior marriages, if any | Bring original copies of all of the following for yourself:
|
All currently or previously married applicants |
| Proof of termination of your spouse’s previous marriages, if any | Bring original copies of all of the following for your spouse:
|
All currently married applicants (if applicable) |
| Proof of official name change(s), if any | Bring as many of the following that apply:
|
All applicants (if applicable) |
| Important: You are allowed to provide copies of the documents listed below this row with your Form N-400, but it’s generally a good idea to wait and bring them to your interview. That’s because any changes that occur between filing your N-400 and taking the Oath of Allegiance mean that you’d need to submit new documentation reflecting the change and USCIS would need to re-evaluate your application, likely causing delays. | ||
| Proof of spouse’s U.S. citizenship for the past 3 years prior to filing your Form N-400 |
|
Applicants filing based on their marriage to a U.S. citizen |
| Proof of termination of your previous marriage(s) | Bring original copies of all of the following:
|
Applicants filing based on their marriage to a U.S. citizen |
| Proof of an authentic marriage for the past 3 years prior to filing your Form N-400 | Bring as many as possible of the following:
|
Applicants filing based on their marriage to a U.S. citizen |
| Proof of parental rights over your child(ren) | Bring one of the following for each child:
|
Applicants listing their children or dependents on Form N-400 |
| Proof that you have fulfilled your financial support obligations (if applicable) | Bring the following for each dependent child who does not live with you and for other dependents (spouse and/or ex-spouse(s)):
|
Applicants listing their children or dependents on Form N-400 |
| Proof of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax payments or overdue tax obligations | Bring copies (or transcripts) of the following:
|
All applicants, but especially those who apply based on their marriage to a U.S. citizen or who have taken trips abroad of at least 6 months (see more on “Continuous and Physical Presence“) |
| Proof that you have maintained permanent residence in the United States (see the “Continuous and Physical Presence” section of our guide to U.S. citizenship requirements) | Bring as many as possible of the following:
|
All applicants who have taken any trips abroad lasting over 6 months (181 days) but less than 1 year (364 days) |
| Proof of Selective Service registration (see more on “Military and Civil Service Registration“) | If you registered for Selective Service, bring the following:
|
Male applicants of a certain age (see more on “Military and Civil Service Registration“) |
| Records of previous encounters with law enforcement (see the “Good Moral Character” section of our guide to U.S. citizenship requirements) IMPORTANT: Documentation is required even if you have been told by anyone (including an attorney, judge, or police officer) that your record no longer exists or that you do not need to provide it to the government. | To help you locate the documents listed below, please refer to our guide on obtaining court, police, or prison records.
If you’ve ever been arrested or detained anywhere in the world, and no charges were filed, bring both of the following:
|
All applicants who have ever been:
|