How long USCIS is taking to decide N-400 naturalization applications, from real cases we tracked from receipt to a decision. Updated every day.
We're still collecting enough decided N-400 cases to publish our own numbers (we wait for at least 20). Until then, USCIS's published national median is 7.4 months.
USCIS national median, FY2026 for N-400: 7.4 months.
Enter the 13-character receipt number from your receipt notice to see your current status, what it means and your estimated decision date.
Use the receipt number from your N-400 receipt notice. If you filed online it starts with IOE. Free, no sign-up.
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Your interview and oath ceremony happen at your local field office, so its backlog drives most of the wait. National figures, including ours, hide large differences between cities.
USCIS takes fingerprints (or reuses ones it has) for background checks before scheduling the interview. Arrests, long trips abroad and tax issues can mean extra questions or documents.
At the interview an officer reviews your application and gives the English and civics tests. If you don't pass one, you get a second chance, typically about 60 to 90 days later, which adds that time to your case.
Approval isn't the finish line: you become a citizen when you take the Oath of Allegiance. Some offices hold the oath the same day as the interview; others mail an oath notice weeks later.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For decisions about your own case, check USCIS's current guidance or talk to an immigration attorney.
Other forms: I-130 · I-129F · I-730 · I-601A · I-485 · N-600K · I-765 · I-131 · I-539 · I-821 · I-129 · I-140 · I-526E · I-829 · I-360 · I-918 · I-914 · I-817 · I-600A · I-600 · I-800A · I-800 · I-102 · I-824
All USCIS processing timesUSCIS's published national median for N-400 is 7.4 months. We don't yet have enough decided N-400 cases of our own to publish a figure, so this page shows USCIS's number until we do.
Generally after five years as a permanent resident, or three years if you've been married to and living with a US citizen during that time, and you can file up to 90 days early. Continuous residence and physical presence rules also apply. Confirm the details for your case with USCIS or an immigration attorney.
The officer has recommended approving your application, usually at the interview, but it's not final until a supervisor signs off and you take the oath. Our numbers count a case as decided when it's approved, not when it's recommended.
Generally yes with your green card, but trips of six months or more can raise questions about continuous residence, and you need to be here for biometrics, the interview and the oath.
Anywhere from the same day to a couple of months, depending on the field office and its ceremony schedule.
Ours come from real N-400 cases we tracked from the day USCIS received them to the day they were approved or denied, over the last 12 months. USCIS's median covers its whole fiscal year and, for some forms, only one category. Neither predicts a single case exactly: your service center or field office, your category and any Request for Evidence matter more.
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