USCIS N-400 Processing Time
Join our DiscordForm N-400, Application for Naturalization, is used by lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) to apply to become naturalized U.S. citizens. It is the final step in the immigration journey for most applicants who meet the residency, physical presence, and good moral character requirements.
Processing times for Form N-400 vary depending on the applicant's local USCIS field office and how quickly biometrics, the interview, and the oath ceremony can be scheduled. Some field offices move applicants through to citizenship in well under a year, while others take considerably longer.
To help applicants stay informed, Track My Visa provides free case tracking and backlog insights for N-400 applications. By joining our platform, you can follow your case progress, explore real-world processing patterns, and better understand where your application stands, all at no cost. Basic tracking and insights are free forever as part of our commitment to supporting N-400 applicants.
N-400 application flow
Every Form N-400 application begins in the Received status once USCIS has accepted the filing into its system. From there, most applicants are scheduled for a Biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center (ASC), where fingerprints and a photo are taken for background checks.
Applicants are then scheduled for an Interview at a USCIS field office, which includes the English and civics tests. In some cases, USCIS may request additional information before making a decision. This step is shown as RFE. Once the requested evidence has been received, the status will update to RFER.
After an application is conditionally approved, the applicant is scheduled for an Oath, the Naturalization Ceremony where they take the Oath of Allegiance and officially become a U.S. citizen. USCIS then issues the Certificate of Naturalization (Certificate). If an application cannot be approved, it is Denied.
To learn more about each status, visit our FAQ.
What does the current case backlog look like?
The chart below shows the current status of Form N-400 applications being tracked on Track My Visa.
The case backlog chart helps applicants understand how cases are moving through the naturalization process and where similar applications currently stand. Cases are grouped by the month each application was filed. Newer filing months typically have a higher share of cases in Received because those applications are still waiting for USCIS review or for the next step to be scheduled.
As filing months get older, more cases may move into later statuses such as Biometrics, Interview, RFER, Oath, Certificate, or Denied. Because Form N-400 includes in-person milestones, such as biometrics, the interview, and the oath ceremony, processing patterns may vary based on the applicant's local field office.
The chart is based on N-400 cases tracked on Track My Visa. We are actively growing our N-400 community: the more applicants who join, the more accurately the chart reflects real-world processing patterns. Join now to see USCIS processing activity graphs and a zoomed-in view of the backlog chart, all for free!
