In order to complete your N-400 application, you must obtain these required documents, which will vary depending on your situation. Make sure to gather ALL the required documents before attending a citizenship workshop.
All applicants must send the following 2 items with their citizenship application:
- A photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
- The filing fee of $725. You will need a check, cashier’s check, or money order made out to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security”. If you are low income, you may qualify for a fee waiver
You will also need to gather some or all of the additional documents below. Be sure to read the required documents list before applying.
Additional Documents and Information
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Applicant information
You must also gather the following information in order to complete your citizenship application:
- Social Security number
- Travel abroad since you became a permanent resident – have the countries and dates of each trip available. You can find this information in your passport (current and expired), tickets, and travel itineraries
- Home addresses over the past 5 years – both the addresses and the dates lived there
- Employer information for the past 5 years – names and addresses of employers and/or school information
- Name change documentation
- Your most recent tax filings and W2 forms (for more information, see Tax Documents below)
- Any arrest or court documents (for more information, see Court Documents below)
- All other documents you have about your immigration record
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Family information
If you have been married, divorced, or have children, you must also gather the following information in order to complete your citizenship application:
- All marriage certificate(s)
- Proof of spouse’s U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status (if applying on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen)
- All divorce decree(s)
- Names(s), date(s) of birth, date(s) of marriage, and date(s) of divorce for all current and former spouses
- Names(s), date(s) of birth, address(es), and alien registration number(s) for all your children
- Proof of having supported your dependents
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Court documents
If you have ever been arrested or detained by any law enforcement officer for any reason (except parking tickets), you will need to get a copy of your court and police documents (even for traffic tickets). Instructions on how to do so are available here. This is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean.
Once you have papers for EVERY offense or incident, you should make an appointment with an immigration attorney, a community organization that provides citizenship assistance, or attend one of our workshops and clinics to see if you should apply for citizenship.
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Tax documents
If you owe back taxes, you will need to establish a payment plan before applying for citizenship. To set up a payment plan, visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website or contact your local Taxpayer Assistance Center.