Green Card / After the green card
Step 7: becoming a US citizen (N-400)
Five years after the green card (three if married to a citizen) you can apply to naturalize. The requirements, the test, and what dual citizenship means for Indian and Chinese nationals.
Naturalization is the last stamp in the journey.
Who can apply
- Permanent resident for 5 years (or 3 years if married to and living with a US citizen), with continuous residence and at least half that time physically in the US (30 months out of 5 years).
- You can file 90 days before reaching the five- or three-year mark.
- Good moral character, English ability and a civics test.
Cost
$760 on paper or $710 online, with fee reductions for lower incomes.
The process
File N-400 → biometrics → interview with the English and civics test → oath ceremony. You become a citizen when you take the oath, not when the case is approved.
Dual citizenship
- India: does not allow dual citizenship. Becoming a US citizen means surrendering your Indian passport (and a renunciation certificate). Most people then apply for OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India), a lifelong visa with many rights, but not voting or owning farmland.
- China: does not recognize dual nationality; acquiring another citizenship means losing Chinese nationality.
- Many other countries allow dual citizenship. Check yours.
Children
Children under 18 who are green card holders and live with a citizen parent in the US generally become citizens automatically when the parent naturalizes. Apply for their US passports (and a certificate of citizenship if you like).
The good
- You can file 90 days before the five-year mark
- Citizenship means a US passport and voting rights
- Your children under 18 with green cards usually become citizens automatically
The hard
- India does not allow dual citizenship; you give up your Indian passport (OCI is the alternative)
- China does not recognize dual nationality
- Long trips abroad can reset the clock
Recent from immigration lawyers
From independent law firms, newest first. Not reviewed by h1b-life, not legal advice and not an endorsement.
- Can an Approved I-140 Still Help After the Employer Withdraws It?Murthy Law Firm · Nov 11, 2026
- My Child Aged Out of Our Employment-Based Green Card Case: What Now?Reddy Neumann Brown · Nov 11, 2026
- MurthyAudio: Tips for Proactive I-485 FilingsMurthy Law Firm · Nov 6, 2026
- Green Card Options: Does Your Company Do Research? The Green Card Option Most Employers OverlookReddy Neumann Brown · Nov 2, 2026
Sources
- USCIS: Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
- USCIS: Citizenship Resource Center (civics test)
- Fragomen: New USCIS fees (N-400 $760 paper, $710 online)
- Ministry of Home Affairs, India: Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
Rules change often. If something here looks out of date, it probably is; check the official source and talk to an immigration attorney about your own case.