What the N-400 costs, in one paragraph
The application for US citizenship, Form N-400, costs $760 on paper or $710 online. If your household income is at or below 400 per cent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines you can pay a reduced fee of $380, and if you receive a means-tested benefit, earn at or below 150 per cent of the guidelines or face financial hardship you can ask USCIS to waive the fee on Form I-912. Both the reduced fee and the waiver mean filing on paper. There is no separate test fee: the English and civics tests are part of the interview the N-400 pays for. After you file, the sequence is receipt, biometrics if USCIS needs them, the interview notice, the interview with the tests, a decision, and the oath ceremony, which can be on the same day as the interview. Sources: the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26), the Form N-400 page (edition 01/20/25, last reviewed 16 June 2026) and the USCIS 10 Steps to Naturalization, all read on 21 October 2026.
- Paper: $760. Online: $710.
- Reduced fee: $380, household income at or below 400 per cent of the poverty guidelines, paper only.
- Fee waiver: $0 with an approved Form I-912, paper only.
- Military (INA 328 or 329): $0.
- Retest, oath ceremony, Form N-648: no USCIS charge appears for any of them in the schedule.
Every fee, from the USCIS fee schedule
The table copies the rows that matter to a citizenship applicant from the USCIS Fee Schedule, Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26. The schedule says it presents "the fees, currently in effect, for all U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) forms", so check the edition date on uscis.gov before you pay; fees change by rule, and an old printout is the most common source of a wrong payment.
| Form and situation | Fee | Notes from the schedule and form pages |
|---|---|---|
| N-400, filed on paper | $760 | General filing |
| N-400, filed online | $710 | The schedule notes "There is often a $50 discount when filing a form online" |
| N-400, reduced fee | $380 | Household income not more than 400 per cent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, with supporting documents; paper only |
| N-400 with an approved fee waiver | $0 | Form I-912 or a written request; paper only |
| N-400 under INA 328 or 329 (military service) | $0 | Fee exemption; no I-912 needed |
| N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions | $0 | The doctor or psychologist may charge for the examination; that is not a USCIS fee |
| I-912, Request for Fee Waiver | $0 | Edition 07/22/25 |
| N-336, hearing on a denied N-400 | $830 paper, $780 online | Fee waiver possible; $0 if the N-400 was filed under INA 328 or 329 and denied |
| N-600, Certificate of Citizenship (for example, for a child) | $1,385 paper, $1,335 online | A separate application; not part of the N-400 |
How to pay
Online filers pay inside the USCIS online account. For paper filing, the schedule says fees "can be paid by ACH debit or credit card unless you qualify for an exemption": Form G-1650 authorises a bank (ACH) payment, Form G-1450 a credit card payment, and Form G-1651 is the request for an exemption from electronic payment. "Cash can never be used." Each application needs its own correct fee, so two spouses filing together pay two fees.
Children under 18
Children do not file an N-400 and do not take this test. Whether a child becomes a citizen through a parent's naturalization is a separate set of rules that this page does not cover; proof of citizenship for a child is applied for on Form N-600, whose fee is in the table. Ask an accredited representative if your family has a child under 18.
The reduced fee and the fee waiver
Two different routes, two different thresholds. Pick the right one before you print anything.
| Reduced fee ($380) | Fee waiver ($0) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you ask | Answer "Yes" in Part 10 of the N-400 and complete that part | Form I-912 (or a written request) filed with the paper N-400 |
| Who qualifies | Household income "less than or equal to 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, at the time of filing, based on your household size" | One basis or more: a means-tested benefit (Part 4); household income at or below 150 per cent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (Part 5); or financial hardship (Part 6) |
| Evidence | Each household member's most recent federal tax return, or pay stubs for at least the past month, a recent W-2, SSA-1099 or employer statement | A benefit letter or notice showing you currently receive the benefit; income evidence; or proof of the hardship |
| Online filing | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Source | N-400 instructions, Part 10 | I-912 instructions, edition 07/22/25 |
The I-912 instructions name Medicaid, SNAP, TANF and SSI as examples of means-tested benefits, and say that Medicare, unemployment benefits, Social Security retirement benefits, SSDI and student financial aid "are not considered means-tested benefits". The current poverty guidelines are published by the Department of Health and Human Services; the N-400 instructions link to them, and the I-912 instructions point to Form I-912P for the 150 per cent table. We do not copy the dollar thresholds here because they change every year; read them on the day you file. If USCIS denies the waiver, the I-912 instructions say the notice "will include information on resubmitting your application or petition".
Which fee? Four households (written by TalkDrill, invented)
Ana works full time and her household is well above 400 per cent of the guidelines: she files online and pays $710. Rakesh and Meera, a couple on two modest incomes, check the guidelines for a household of four, find they are under 400 per cent, and each file a paper N-400 with Part 10 and their tax return: $380 each. Thanh, 68, receives SSI: she files a paper N-400 with Form I-912 and her SSI award letter, and pays nothing if it is approved. Marco served in the US Army and files under INA 329: $0, no I-912 needed. The figures are from the fee schedule; the people are not real.
From filing to oath: the official sequence
USCIS describes the path in its "10 Steps to Naturalization". The table puts each step next to what arrives in your post or online account and what you do. It gives no durations, because USCIS publishes none that apply everywhere: processing times differ by field office.
| Step | What arrives or happens | What you do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. File | Online: the case appears in your account. Paper: USCIS mails a "USCIS Account Acceptance Notice" so you can track the case online. | Keep a full copy of what you sent. Note the date USCIS received it: it decides your civics test version. | N-400 page |
| 2. Biometrics, if needed | "USCIS will send you an appointment notice that includes your biometrics appointment date, time, and location." | Attend. You sign an oath that your application is true and complete. "If you do not attend your biometric services appointment, we may deny your application." | 10 Steps; N-400 instructions |
| 3. Interview notice | "Once all the preliminary processes on your case are complete, USCIS will schedule an interview with you." | Read the notice twice: date, office, and the list of what to bring. Ask for any disability accommodation now. | 10 Steps |
| 4. Interview and tests | The officer places you under oath, reviews your N-400 and gives the English and civics tests. | Answer in full sentences; ask the officer to repeat or rephrase if you do not understand. | Policy Manual, Vol 12, Part B, Ch 3; Part E, Ch 2 |
| 5. Results notice | "The officer issues a Notice of Examination Results (Form N-652)" at the end of the interview. | Read it before you leave the room. | Policy Manual, Vol 12, Part B, Ch 4 |
| 6. Decision | Granted, continued or denied. "USCIS has 120 days from the date of the initial naturalization interview to issue a decision." | If continued, answer any Request for Evidence on time; if a retest, prepare the failed part. | 10 Steps; Policy Manual, Vol 12, Part B, Ch 4 |
| 7. Oath notice | "You may be able to participate in a naturalization ceremony on the same day as your interview." Otherwise USCIS mails Form N-445 with the date, time and place. | Complete the N-445 questionnaire before the ceremony. | Naturalization Ceremonies page; 10 Steps |
| 8. Oath ceremony | Check in, return your Green Card, take the Oath of Allegiance, receive your Certificate of Naturalization. | Check the certificate for errors before you leave. | Naturalization Ceremonies page |
How long it takes
We do not quote a number, on purpose. The N-400 page links USCIS's Check Case Processing Times tool, which gives the current range for each field office; it refused our automated fetch this week, so open it in your own browser. The N-400 page also says your online account shows "personalized case completion date estimates". The decision deadline after the interview is fixed by the Policy Manual at 120 days; the time before the interview is not.
Filing early
You may file "90 calendar days before you complete your continuous residence requirement", per the N-400 page, and the instructions point to the USCIS Early Filing Calculator. Two warnings from the instructions: "We will reject your application if you submit it too early", and every other requirement, including the age and years for an English exemption, must be met on the day you file. The exemptions page has worked examples.
What to bring to the interview
Your interview notice is the authority: it lists what your office wants, and it can add items this page does not. The table below separates what an official USCIS page or instruction names from what we recommend, so you can see which is which.
| Item | Why | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| The interview appointment notice | "Please bring the appointment notice with you." | 10 Steps to Naturalization |
| Your Green Card | If you are approved and a same-day ceremony is offered, "You must return your Permanent Resident Card to USCIS when you check in" | Naturalization Ceremonies page |
| Every passport and travel document used since you became a permanent resident | "The USCIS officer will review your travel history and documents during your naturalization interview" | N-400 instructions |
| IRS tax transcripts | "You should bring your IRS tax transcripts to your interview, especially if you have traveled outside the United States for a period that lasted more than 6 months." | N-400 instructions |
| Originals or court-certified copies of any arrest, charge or court records | "You may provide photocopies with your application. You must bring originals or court-certified copies to your interview." | N-400 instructions |
| Originals of documents you sent as copies (marriage certificate, divorce decrees, name-change orders) | "USCIS may request an original document at any time during our process." | N-400 instructions |
| Evidence you could not send at filing | "USCIS may accept evidence you provide at your interview." | N-400 instructions |
| If applicable: child support evidence, an IRS payment agreement, a Selective Service status letter | Listed in the official "Checklist of Required Initial Evidence" | N-400 page |
| Your interpreter, with government-issued ID (exempt applicants only) | The interpreter must "submit a copy of his or her government-issued identification at the naturalization interview" | Policy Manual, Vol 12, Part B, Ch 3 |
| A government photo ID such as a state ID or driving licence | Our recommendation; many notices ask for identification | TalkDrill judgement: check your notice |
| A copy of your N-400 as filed | Our recommendation: the officer reads your answers back to you, and you should know them | TalkDrill judgement |
Pack everything in one folder in the order of the N-400 parts. If the officer asks for a document and you can turn to it in a few seconds, the interview stays calm; that matters more than people expect, because the speaking test is judged across the whole conversation.
The interview day, step by step
The USCIS interview and test page (reviewed 31 October 2025) and the Policy Manual set out what happens. In order:
- The oath. "The officer places the alien under oath and interviews the alien on the questions and responses in the alien's naturalization application" (Policy Manual, Vol 12, Part B, Ch 3). Corrections you make in answer to questions are recorded as amendments.
- Speaking. There is no separate speaking task. "Your ability to speak and understand English will be determined by a USCIS officer during your eligibility interview." The Policy Manual passes an applicant who "generally understands and responds meaningfully to questions relevant to his or her naturalization eligibility". Practise with the N-400 interview questions and the AI mock interview.
- Reading. You read one of three sentences aloud; the test stops when one is right. Practise on the reading test page.
- Writing. The officer dictates; you write one of three sentences "in a manner that the officer understands". Practise on the writing test page.
- Civics. Twenty questions from 128 for an N-400 filed on or after 20 October 2025, 12 correct to pass; up to ten from 100 for earlier filings, 6 to pass. See which version you take.
- Results. Form N-652 before you leave. What each result means, and the retest rule, are on the results, retest and oath page.
Checklists: four weeks, one week, the night before
These checklists are written by TalkDrill. They are practical habits, not USCIS requirements.
| When | Do this |
|---|---|
| When you file | Save a full copy of the N-400 and every attachment. Start the eight-week roadmap; do not wait for the notice. |
| Four weeks before | Order IRS tax transcripts. Collect court records if you have ever been arrested or cited. Count your trips abroad against your passports. If you need an interpreter, confirm who it is. |
| One week before | Build the folder in N-400 order. Do two full mock interviews, one with the reading and writing tests. Check the route and the security rules for federal buildings. |
| The night before | Read your N-400 answers aloud once. Ten civics questions you find hardest, aloud. Notice, Green Card, passports, ID and folder by the door. |
| The morning | Arrive early. Speak English on the way in if English is your test: a short conversation warms up your listening. |
Every official link used here is on the official resources page, and the US citizenship hub has the whole test on one page. There are no fixed national test dates for naturalization: USCIS schedules each interview, which is why this module has no rows on the exam dates calendar.
Sources, read 21 October 2026: USCIS Fee Schedule G-1055 (edition 10/16/26); Form N-400 page and instructions (edition 01/20/25); Form I-912 page and instructions (edition 07/22/25); Form N-336 page; 10 Steps to Naturalization (last reviewed 09/10/2025); Naturalization Ceremonies (last reviewed 02/12/2026); Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part B, Chapters 3 and 4 (current as of 2 October 2026). Not verified this week: the Check Case Processing Times tool and the Early Filing Calculator, which refused our fetch.