U.S. Naturalization Through Military Service

If you are serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and are interested in becoming a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible to apply for naturalization under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

Eligibility

If you meet all the requirements of either section 328 or 329 of the INA, you may apply for naturalization by filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/n-400), under the section that applies to you. You will not have to pay any fees for applying for naturalization under INA 328 or 329. As a current or former member of the U.S. military, certain other naturalization requirements may not apply to you. For example, if you served honorably during a designated period of hostilities, you may not have to reside in or be physically present in the U.S. for any length of time before you apply for naturalization. The requirements for naturalization are explained in greater detail below.

Check eligibility.

Check your eligibility using this tool: Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/citizenship-resource-center/learn-about-citizenship/naturalization-eligibility.

One Year of Military Service at Any Time

If you served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces for at least one year at any time, you may be eligible to apply for naturalization. While some general naturalization requirements apply under INA 328, other requirements may not apply or are reduced. To establish eligibility under INA 328, you must

• Be 18 years old or older
• Have served honorably at any time in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period or periods totaling at least one year
• Have submitted a completed Form N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service (https://www.uscis.gov/n-426), at the time of filing your N-400
• Demonstrate that if separated from service, you were never separated except under honorable conditions
• Be a lawful permanent resident at the time of your naturalization interview
• Meet certain residence and physical presence requirements
• Demonstrate the ability to read, write, and speak English, unless qualified for a waiver or exception
• Demonstrate knowledge of U.S. history and government, unless excepted
• Demonstrate good moral character for at least five years before filing your N-400 through the day you naturalize
• Demonstrate an attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution and be well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during all relevant periods under the law, unless waived

Service During Periods of Hostility

If you are currently serving or previously served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces during a designated period of hostilities, you may be eligible to apply for naturalization. While some general naturalization requirements apply under INA 329, other requirements may not apply or are reduced.

The designated periods of hostilities are listed below:

• Apr. 6, 1917–Nov. 11, 1918
• Sept. 1, 1939–Dec. 31, 1946
• June 25, 1950–July 1, 1955
• Feb. 28, 1961–Oct. 15, 1978
• Aug. 2, 1990–April 11, 1991
• Sept. 11, 2001–present

To establish eligibility under INA 329, you must

• Have served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces during a designated period of hostility, and if separated, have been separated under honorable conditions from your qualifying period of service
• Have submitted a completed Form N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/n-426), at the time of filing your N-400
• Be a lawful permanent resident or have been physically present at the time of enlistment, reenlistment, or extension of service or induction into the U.S. Armed Forces, either/or
  • In the United States, the Canal Zone, American Samoa, or Swains Island
  • On board a public vessel owned or operated by the United States for noncommercial service
• Demonstrate the ability to read, write, and speak English, unless qualified for a waiver or exception
• Demonstrate knowledge of U.S. history and government, unless excepted
• Demonstrate good moral character for at least one year prior to filing your N-400 through the day you naturalize
• Demonstrate an attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution and be well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during all relevant periods under the law, unless waived

An applicant who files on the basis of military service during hostilities is exempt from the general naturalization requirements of continuous residence and physical presence.

Applying for Naturalization

Many military installations have a designated U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) liaison to help you with the naturalization application process. These liaisons are typically assigned to a specific office (e.g. your installation's community service center, family liaison office, or Judge Advocate General). Ask your chain of command to certify your honorable military service on Form N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service. If you have already separated from the U.S. Armed Forces, you still must submit a completed Form N-426, but the Form N-426 may be uncertified. You must also submit a photocopy of your DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, NGB Form 22, National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service, or other official discharge document for all periods of service. Mail your completed application and all required materials here:

USCIS
P.O. Box 4446
Chicago, IL 60680-4446

You may also complete your application by creating an online account (Link opens in a new windowhttps://myaccount.uscis.gov) and filing your Form N-400 online.

USCIS will review your application and conduct required security checks, which include obtaining your fingerprints. This can be done in one of the following ways:

• If you were fingerprinted for a previous immigration application, USCIS will use these fingerprints, if available.
• If residing or stationed abroad, you may submit two properly completed FD-258 fingerprint cards and two passport-style photos taken by the military police or officials with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. embassy, or U.S. consulate.
• You may go to an application support center (ASC) in the United States and submit your fingerprints. If you are a current or former service member, USCIS allows you to submit your fingerprints at an ASC before you file your Form N-400. Be sure to include your A-Number. Please be sure to bring evidence of your prior or current military service, such as, but not limited to your military ID, official orders, enlistment contract, and/or discharge documents.
• If you have questions regarding your biometrics, you can contact the Military Helpline at 877-CIS-4MIL (877-247-4645)—if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services—or militaryinfo@uscis.dhs.gov.

USCIS will review your application and send it to a USCIS field office to schedule you for an interview. You can request an interview at a specific office in a cover letter attached to your application or leave the choice of location to USCIS.

The field office will schedule your interview to review your eligibility for naturalization and test your knowledge of English and civics. If USCIS finds that you are eligible for naturalization, it will inform you of the date you can take the Oath of Allegiance and become a U.S. citizen.

Forms

You must complete and submit N-400, Application for Naturalization; and N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service. The military must certify this form before you send it to USCIS unless you are separated from the military at the time you file your Form N-400.

If you are separated from the military, you still must submit a completed Form N-426, but the Form N-426 may be uncertified. You must also submit a photocopy of your DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, NGB Form 22, National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service, or other official discharge document for all periods of service.

Additional Information for Former Military Members

If you are applying for naturalization based on former military service, you must complete your naturalization interview and take the Oath of Allegiance in the United States. If you are residing outside of the United States and are unable to enter the United States with a visa, you may request parole by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, concurrently with your N-400 application. See Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole for Individuals Outside the United States (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarianpublicbenefitparoleindividualsoutsideUS) and Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/i-131-addresses) for additional information. Write "Military N-400" at the top of Form I-131.

Where to File

See the "Advance Parole Document for current and former service members outside of the U.S." section of the above page Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Do not submit the I-131 separately.

Posthumous Citizenship for Military Members

Generally, individuals who served honorably in an active-duty status in the U.S. Armed Forces during a specified period of military hostilities and died as a result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by that service may be eligible for posthumous citizenship under section 329A of the INA.

You must file Form N-644, Application for Posthumous Citizenship (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/n-644), on behalf of the deceased service member within two years of their death. Upon approving the application, USCIS will issue a Certificate of Citizenship in the name of the deceased service member establishing posthumously that they were a U.S. citizen on the date they died.

Other provisions of the law may extend immigration benefits to the service member's surviving spouse, children, and parents. For information, see the Family Based Survivor Benefits page (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/military/family-based-survivor-benefits).

Find study materials for the naturalization interview and test.

Before your naturalization interview, be sure to study for the English and civics test by using these free resources to help you prepare. Find study materials for the English and civics tests on this page (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/study-for-the-test).