N-400 Document Checklist

Baseline documents

USCIS describes required initial evidence in the Form N-400 instructions. The items below are commonly part of a paper or online filing. They are not a personal eligibility decision.

• Copy of your Green Card (front and back)

  If the card is lost or stolen, the instructions generally want proof that you filed Form I-90 to replace it. Your Alien Registration Number (A-Number) is printed on the card.

• USCIS filing fee, reduced-fee request, or fee waiver if you qualify

  Government filing fees depend on paper versus online filing and on reduced-fee or military situations. CivicNest preparation is separate from what you pay USCIS.

• Certified English translations

  Any document not in English generally needs a complete English translation and a translator certification, as the N-400 instructions describe.

Conditional documents

The next groups apply only in some cases. Do not assemble every item on this page unless the Form N-400 instructions say it applies to you.

5-year naturalization situations

If you apply based on five years as a lawful permanent resident, the baseline Green Card copy still applies. Extra documents usually come from travel, tax, or other facts rather than from the 5-year category itself.

• Records that help you report residence and absences accurately

  The form asks where you lived and when you were outside the United States. Keep travel records and address history available while you complete the form, even if you do not mail every supporting paper.

3-year marriage-based situations

If you apply as the spouse of a U.S. citizen under the three-year residence rules, USCIS generally wants proof of the marriage and that it still exists. Evidence can vary. The instructions, not this checklist, control what you must submit.

• Marriage certificate

  A civil marriage certificate is the usual starting point. A license alone is typically not enough.

• Proof your spouse is a U.S. citizen

  Common examples include a U.S. birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate. Use current official documents.

• Proof the marriage still exists

  USCIS may look for current evidence that you still live in a genuine marriage. What is useful varies by household. See the marriage-related section below.

Travel and residence-related evidence

Form N-400 asks about trips outside the United States. Long absences can affect continuous residence. This page does not decide whether a trip breaks residence.

• A complete list of trips outside the United States

  Passport stamps, I-94 records, and old tickets can help you complete the travel table accurately.

• Extra evidence after a trip of more than 6 months but less than 1 year

  The N-400 instructions describe additional evidence some applicants submit to show they kept U.S. residence after a long trip, such as tax transcripts, leases, or employment records.

Marriage-related evidence

Marriage evidence is not one rigid bundle. Joint leases, combined finances, children born of the marriage, and other records are examples USCIS discusses in related family filings. Submit what the N-400 instructions ask for your situation.

Tax-related evidence

Form N-400 asks whether you have filed tax returns during the statutory period when required. IRS tax transcripts are a common way to document filings. Not every applicant mails tax transcripts with the form.

• IRS tax transcripts or copies of returns, if relevant

  Have these available if you need to document that you filed required returns, or if a long trip requires extra residence evidence.

Name-change evidence

If your current legal name differs from the name on your Green Card, you generally need civil documents that show each name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.

Military pathway documents

• Service records listed in the N-400 instructions

  Applicants filing under a military provision generally submit the service documents the instructions list for that path. Military filings can also change the USCIS fee.

Other circumstance-specific documentation

Other items appear only for some applicants. Examples include Form N-648 if you seek a medical disability exception to the English or civics requirements, and certified court dispositions if you were arrested or charged. Those records are about what USCIS asks you to submit, not legal advice about outcomes.

• Form N-648, if a medical disability exception applies

  Only if a qualifying disability or impairment prevents you from meeting the English or civics requirements, as the N-400 and N-648 instructions describe.

• Certified court and police records, if you were arrested or charged

  The N-400 instructions generally want certified dispositions even if a case was dismissed. This checklist does not explain criminal or immigration consequences.

What not everyone needs

You do not need a marriage packet if you are not applying as a spouse of a U.S. citizen. You do not need military packets if you are not filing under a military provision. You do not need N-648 unless you are requesting that medical exception. Tax transcripts, name-change orders, and long-trip evidence are situational.

Official USCIS sources

• USCIS Form N-400
• Form N-400 instructions (PDF)
• USCIS filing fees (G-1055)