N-400 — Application for Naturalization
naturalizationFiling fee: $760
Median wait (p50)
7.4 months
Range: 3.7–7.4 months
Fastest subtype
3.7 months
Military
Slowest subtype
7.4 months
General
Year-over-year
1.8 mo+1.8 mo
vs. Mar 26 last year
What is N-400?
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is the application to become a U.S. citizen. Eligible lawful permanent residents file this form to begin the naturalization process, which includes a civics and English test, a background check, and an oath of allegiance ceremony.
Who files this form?
- Lawful permanent residents who have held their Green Card for at least 5 years
- Spouses of U.S. citizens who have held their Green Card for at least 3 years
- Members of the U.S. armed forces and qualifying veterans
- Certain children of U.S. citizens under special provisions
Typical processing time today
Standard naturalization cases are currently processed in about 5–8 months from filing to oath ceremony. Military applicants often receive expedited processing. Times vary by field office workload.
N-400 Processing Times by Subtype
Current p50 and p93 wait times across all subtypes
Heatmap
p50 and p93 months by subtype
| p50 | p93 | |
|---|---|---|
| General | 7.4 | 10.4 |
| Military | 3.7 | 5.2 |
| Row | Column | Value |
|---|---|---|
| General | p50 | 7.4 |
| Military | p50 | 3.7 |
| General | p93 | 10.4 |
| Military | p93 | 5.2 |
Range Bars
p50 → p93 spread per subtype
| Series | Typical (p50) | Slow (p93) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 7.4 months | 10.4 months |
| Military | 3.7 months | 5.2 months |
| Subtype | p50 | p93 | Spread | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military | 3.7 months | 5.2 months | 1.5 mo | Calculate ETA → |
| General | 7.4 months | 10.4 months | 3.0 mo | Calculate ETA → |
N-400 Historical Processing Trend
Quarterly median processing time over the available data period
Median Processing Time Trend
8 quarterly data points
| Month | N-400 Median |
|---|---|
| December 2023 | 5.2 months |
| June 2024 | 5.0 months |
| September 2024 | 4.7 months |
| December 2024 | 5.5 months |
| March 2025 | 5.6 months |
| June 2025 | 5.4 months |
| September 2025 | 5.7 months |
| March 2026 | 7.3 months |
Year-over-Year Comparison
Overlay processing times by calendar year to reveal seasonal patterns
N-400 Processing Times by Year
Each line represents one calendar year
| Month | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | — | — | — | — |
| Feb | — | — | — | — |
| Mar | — | — | 5.6 months | 7.3 months |
| Apr | — | — | — | — |
| May | — | — | — | — |
| Jun | — | 5.0 months | 5.4 months | — |
| Jul | — | — | — | — |
| Aug | — | — | — | — |
| Sep | — | 4.7 months | 5.7 months | — |
| Oct | — | — | — | — |
| Nov | — | — | — | — |
| Dec | 5.2 months | 5.5 months | — | — |
N-400 Volume & Approval Rate
Quarterly case volumes and disposition breakdown
Quarterly Volume Trend
Receipts, approvals, denials, and pending cases
| Month | Receipts | Approvals | Denials | Pending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | 191,731 | 175,615 | 20,966 | 393,563 |
| June 2024 | 235,372 | 215,392 | 21,479 | 462,784 |
| September 2024 | 271,180 | 200,398 | 20,105 | 507,412 |
| December 2024 | 236,744 | 201,774 | 17,117 | 524,675 |
| March 2025 | 260,621 | 231,696 | 22,610 | 527,837 |
| June 2025 | 245,879 | 236,924 | 23,099 | 519,918 |
| September 2025 | 236,898 | 211,592 | 21,936 | 524,972 |
| March 2026 | 135,586 | 81,147 | 14,837 | 648,583 |
Latest Quarter
FY2026 Q2
| Slice | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Approved | 81,147 | 10.9% |
| Denied | 14,837 | 2.0% |
| Pending | 648,583 | 87.1% |
Receipts (latest qtr)
135,586
Approval rate
84.5%
Currently pending
648,583
Quarter-over-Quarter Movement
How the median processing time has changed each quarter
Median Changes
Green = faster, Red = slower
| Series | Delta |
|---|---|
| Mar 26 | +1.7 mo |
| Dec 24 | +0.7 mo |
| Sep 24 | -0.3 mo |
| Sep 25 | +0.2 mo |
| Jun 24 | -0.2 mo |
| Jun 25 | -0.1 mo |
| Mar 25 | +0.1 mo |
Processing Time Distribution for N-400
How processing times for N-400 are distributed, based on national p50 and p93 data
| Metric | Months |
|---|---|
| Typical (p50) | 7.4 months |
| Slow (p93) | 10.4 months |
| Your case | — |
Estimate Your N-400 Timeline
Pre-filled with this form — just pick a subtype and enter your receipt date