Becoming a citizen through military service

This page explains the special citizenship rules for people who serve in the U.S. armed forces. It is general information, not legal advice. DNLH is not a law office, a recruiter or the military. For the regular path to citizenship, see Becoming a U.S. citizen: the complete guide.

You served this country. The law recognizes that with a quicker, free path. Here is how to use it.

Who can become a citizen through military service?

There are two main paths. Both require honorable service, and if you have left the military, a separation under honorable conditions (USCIS, Naturalization Through Military Service).

Sources: USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part I, Ch. 2 and Ch. 3; 8 USC 1439; 8 USC 1440.

What is the wartime path?

If you have served honorably for any length of time during a designated period of hostilities, you may qualify. The current period began September 11, 2001 and has no end date set (USCIS; Executive Order 13269, in the notes to 8 USC 1440). Earlier periods cover World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War.

To qualify you must:

• Have served honorably during the period, in active duty or the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve. National Guard service may also count.
• Be a permanent resident, or have been physically present in the United States (or the Canal Zone, American Samoa, Swains Island, or on a U.S. public vessel) when you enlisted, reenlisted, extended service or were inducted.
• Show good moral character for at least 1 year before you file, through the day of your oath.
• Pass the English and civics tests, unless an exception applies.

There is no minimum age and no residence or physical presence requirement on this path (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part I, Ch. 3).

What is the one year path?

If you served honorably for a total of at least 1 year at any time, you may qualify. You must be 18 or older and a permanent resident at your interview.

If you file while still serving, or within 6 months after an honorable discharge, you skip the usual residence and physical presence rules. If you file 6 months or more after leaving, you need 5 years of continuous residence and 30 months of physical presence, but honorable service in those 5 years counts toward both. Time abroad on official military orders does not break continuous residence (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part I, Ch. 2).

Good moral character is required for at least 5 years before filing through the oath.

Which kinds of service and discharge count?

Service that counts: honorable active or reserve service in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force or Coast Guard. National Guard service may count when the unit is federally recognized as a reserve component. International cadets at U.S. military academies generally do not count.

Discharges that count: only Honorable and General (Under Honorable Conditions). Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct and Dishonorable do not. An Uncharacterized discharge (for example, an entry level separation) counts only if it was issued on or before July 31, 2024 (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part I, Ch. 2).

More than one period of service? On the one year path, every separation must be under honorable conditions, even from service you are not relying on. On the wartime path, you need at least one qualifying period.

Discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine? USCIS says you can ask your military department to upgrade the characterization before you apply.

How do I apply?

1. Get your service documents. Serving now: have an authorized military official certify Form N-426, signed no more than 6 months before you file. Recruiters cannot certify it. Separated: send a photocopy of your DD Form 214 or NGB Form 22 for all periods of service. It must show the type of separation and character of service (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part I, Ch. 5).
2. Fill out Form N-400 and check the military eligibility option. File online through a USCIS account, or mail it to USCIS, P.O. Box 4446, Chicago, IL 60680-4446 (USCIS).
3. Pay nothing. USCIS charges no fee for an N-400 filed under the military provisions. A denied military applicant can also request a hearing on Form N-336 for free.
4. Give fingerprints. USCIS may reuse prints from an earlier application. Abroad, you can send two FD-258 cards and two photos taken by military police or U.S. officials. You can also go to a USCIS application support center, even before you file. Bring your A number and proof of service.
5. Interview and test. You can ask for a specific office in a cover letter.
6. Take the oath. Then you are a citizen.

Stationed overseas? Service members abroad on official orders can do biometrics, the interview and the oath outside the United States, and can ask for overseas processing at any stage (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part I, Ch. 5).

Help on base. Many installations have a USCIS liaison or naturalization point of contact, often at the family support center, legal office (JAG) or community service center. Ask your chain of command.

Can citizenship be taken away later?

Yes, in one case specific to the military. If you naturalize through military service and are then separated under other than honorable conditions before you have served honorably for a total of 5 years, your citizenship can be revoked (8 USC 1439(f); 8 USC 1440(c)).

This is in addition to the general rule that citizenship obtained by lying or hiding facts can be taken away. See Can my U.S. citizenship be taken away?

Can I enlist without a green card?

Generally, no. Federal law allows enlistment only for U.S. nationals, permanent residents, and citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau. A service Secretary may allow others to enlist only if they have a critical skill vital to the national interest that they will use in their daily duties (10 USC 504(b)).

That means DACA recipients and people with TPS, a pending case or no status generally cannot enlist. Be very wary of anyone who says they can get you in "with papers to follow."

Thinking about enlisting? Talk to an immigration lawyer before you sign anything. A recruiter is not an immigration adviser. Past problems such as arrests, false claims to citizenship or unlawful voting can surface when you apply for citizenship later.

What about military families?

• Spouses stationed abroad. A green card holder married to a U.S. citizen service member who is or will be stationed abroad for a year or more may qualify for expedited naturalization in the United States. Spouses living abroad with a service member on official orders can also naturalize overseas without traveling to the U.S., if they meet the regular 5 year or 3 year rules. Time living abroad with your spouse under military orders counts toward residence and presence (USCIS, Citizenship for Military Family Members).
• Moving on orders? Spouses on the service member's Permanent Change of Station orders can call the Military Help Line to ask for expedited processing. USCIS reviews each request and does not grant them automatically.
• Children. Children of service members may become citizens automatically or through an application. See Did my child become a citizen when I did? and USCIS's family page.
• Survivors. If a service member died from injury or disease from service during a period of hostilities, next of kin can file Form N-644 for posthumous citizenship within 2 years of the death (USCIS; 8 USC 1440-1). Other benefits may help surviving spouses, children and parents.

What if I'm a veteran living outside the United States?

Former service members applying on the basis of past service generally must do the interview and oath in the United States. If you live abroad and cannot get a visa, USCIS says you can file Form I-131 for parole together with your N-400. Write "Military N-400" at the top of the I-131 and use the address USCIS lists for current and former service members (USCIS, Naturalization Through Military Service).

If you were deported after serving, talk to a lawyer about your options. Free help is listed below.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Assuming you're already a citizen because you served. Service does not make you a citizen. You must apply and take the oath.
• Waiting too long after discharge on the one year path. The 6 month window lets you skip residence rules. After that, the regular rules apply.
• Letting a recruiter certify your N-426. It must be an authorized certifying official.
• Hiding past arrests or discharges. Disclose everything. Talk to a lawyer first if you have a record. See Is applying for citizenship safe if I have an arrest record?
• Leaving with a bad discharge before 5 years of honorable service. That can put your citizenship at risk.

Questions people ask

I'm in the reserves. Does that count? Reserve service can count. On the wartime path it must be in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve or active duty.

I'm under 18 and already serving. Can I apply now? The wartime path has no minimum age. The one year path requires age 18.

Do I still take the English and civics test? Yes, unless an exception applies. Study for free at How to study for the citizenship test.

My service was years ago in the 1990s. Does it count? Service during August 2, 1990 to April 11, 1991 is a designated period. Other service may qualify on the one year path.

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service. Details checked October 18 to 21, 2026.

• USCIS Military Help Line: 877-247-4645 (877-CIS-4MIL), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern; dial 711 for relay.
• Your installation legal office (JAG) or family support center, for your naturalization packet.
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): 650-326-6440, for low income residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties (CLSEPA).
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City: free first consultation by appointment, (650) 587-1558 (IIBA).
• Anywhere in California: the state's map of free immigration legal services.

More options: Free or low cost immigration legal help in the Bay Area.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Thank you for your service. The last step is yours to take.