USCIS Revises Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

As part of its form improvements initiative, USCIS is today releasing a revised Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Through the Federal Register, USCIS received numerous comments from the public that helped inform this revision.

The revisions to Form N-400 provide USCIS with additional tools to make important eligibility determinations, present customers with clearer instructions, and incorporate technology that improves efficiency and accuracy for both USCIS and our customers. Although the form is now revised, the eligibility requirements for naturalization have not changed. For information on the requirements, see A Guide to Naturalization.

The revised Form N-400 (see an introductory video here) now includes:

• Additional questions to conform with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004 and Child Soldier Prevention Act of 2008. The additional information is important for USCIS to make a complete and informed determination of an applicant’s eligibility for U.S. citizenship. The questions relate not only to concerns surrounding good moral character but also to issues relating to the security of the United States.
• Clearer and more comprehensive instructions now highlight general eligibility requirements and help customers understand the naturalization application process by providing specific instructions on how to complete each part of the application.
• 2D barcode technology at the bottom of each page that greatly enhances USCIS’s ability to more efficiently scan data for direct input to USCIS systems. This feature results in improved data quality, efficiency in processing, and overall integrity of the naturalization program. USCIS now has a dedicated Web page for vendors so that third-party software products may also share in the benefits of this technology.

The revised form is now available at www.uscis.gov/n-400. Customers may continue to use previous versions of the form for a 90-day transition period. On Monday, May 5, 2014, USCIS will no longer accept older versions of Form N-400. USCIS will reject and return previous versions of Form N-400 submitted after May 5, 2014.

Customers are encouraged to access the revised form at www.uscis.gov/n-400, fill it out electronically, print, sign and then mail it to USCIS according to the form instructions. Individuals who are unable to fill out the revised Form N-400 electronically may instead print the form and complete it by hand in black ink. Customers can also call 1-800-870-3676 to order the revised form by mail.

USCIS has additional resources online at www.uscis.gov/n-400 to introduce the revised form. USCIS will also hold a national stakeholder engagement on February 20, 2014 to inform the public about the revised Form N-400 in more detail. For information on how to participate in these events, please visit www.uscis.gov/outreach.