Citizenship & Naturalization

For a plain-language walk-through written for our area, see our complete guide to U.S. citizenship and naturalization in Orlando, which covers the N-400 from eligibility through the oath ceremony.

Are you eligible?

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) § 316 requires that, to naturalize through Form N-400, you generally must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have been a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 5 years (or 3 years if you obtained your green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen and are still married to and living with that citizen spouse).
• Meet continuous residence and physical presence requirements (no trips of 6+ months without rebuttal; no trips of 1 year+ at all without special exceptions).
• Demonstrate good moral character (typically over the 5-year or 3-year statutory period).
• Read, write, and speak basic English (with limited age/disability exemptions).
• Have knowledge of U.S. civics (the 100-question test).
• Be willing to take the oath of allegiance.

What are the four stages of the naturalization process?

1. Filing — N-400 plus supporting documents (green card copy, tax transcripts, court records for any arrests, Selective Service confirmation for males 18–26).
2. Biometrics — fingerprinting, scheduled within a few weeks of filing.
3. Interview — with a USCIS officer who reviews your application, administers the English (read/write) and civics tests, and asks you about your background. Many applicants are sworn in the same day.
4. Oath ceremony — public oath of allegiance. After the ceremony you receive your Certificate of Naturalization and can apply for a U.S. passport.

Per USCIS, current N-400 processing time estimates from filing to oath ceremony run about 8–14 months. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, Florida has reported well over 60,000 naturalizations in recent fiscal years — consistently among the top three states — and Orlando-jurisdiction interviews track close to the national average.

What can derail an N-400 application?

Most N-400 problems come from issues outside the form: extended trips abroad that broke continuous residence, criminal records (even minor — DUIs are scrutinized heavily), failure to register for Selective Service, unfiled tax returns, child-support arrears, or false statements on prior immigration filings. We review every detail of your immigration history, residence, travel, and background before filing. Many issues that would sink a case can be cured first.

Special situations

• Military naturalization — accelerated path for active-duty service members.
• Acquired & derivative citizenship — children who automatically became U.S. citizens through a parent's naturalization (Child Citizenship Act of 2000) may apply for an N-600 Certificate of Citizenship or U.S. passport.
• Disability waivers — Form N-648 medical certification for English/civics test exemptions.
• Older long-term residents — the 50/20, 55/15, and 65/20 rules waive the English test and provide a simplified civics test in your native language.
• DACA recipients seeking a path to citizenship — DACA itself is a deferred-action protection, not a status that counts toward the 5-year LPR rule, so the route to N-400 still runs through a separate adjustment-of-status filing first. We map that path during the consultation.

One cautionary note: naturalization is not always permanent. Material misrepresentations on the N-400 or in the underlying green-card filing — and a small set of post-naturalization conduct — can result in risks that can lead to denaturalization. We screen for these issues at intake so they are addressed up front, not after the oath. For what has changed this year, see our explainer on how denaturalization can revoke citizenship in 2026 and what Florida residents should watch for.