Your path to U.S. citizenship
Pick the kind of case closest to yours and see the usual steps: the forms, the official rules and how long similar cases took. Change the answers and the path changes with them.
Illustrative · not legal advice
Family
A U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative petitions for you.
Work
An employer petitions for you, or you qualify on your own merits.
Asylum or refuge
You have asylum or came as a refugee.
I'm already a resident
You have a green card and want to know when you can apply for citizenship.
Important
This path is illustrative and general. It does not guarantee any result, it is not legal advice, and it does not represent USCIS. Every case is different: exceptions, past immigration history or the Visa Bulletin can change it. Before filing, check USCIS's official pages or get help from an attorney or accredited representative.
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USCIS naturalization eligibility tool
Rules checked against USCIS's official pages on 2026-10-03.
Questions about your path?
Ask me with your details and I'll answer with USCIS's official rules and the cases I follow.