Naturalization 

Information for 

Military Personnel

USCIS Information and 

Customer Service Division

If you are found eligible for naturalization, USCIS will 

inform you of the date you can take the oath of allegiance 

and become a U.S. citizen.

Forms You Will Need to Complete and Submit:

•	 N-400,Application for Naturalization

•	 N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval

Service (The military must certify this form prior to

sending it to USCIS. If you are separated from the military, you may submit an uncertified Form N-426 with

your DD Form 214.)

Overseas Processing

You may be interviewed and naturalized abroad at certain

U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and military installations.You

may request overseas processing at any time in the naturalization process. Please see www.uscis.gov/military for

specific instructions.

Spouses of Members of the U.S. Armed Forces

Expedited Naturalization

If you are married to a service member who is a U.S. citizen and your citizen spouse is or will be deployed abroad

for one year or more, you may be eligible for expedited

naturalization in the United States. For more information, please refer to the USCIS handbook, “A Guide to

Naturalization” (M-476).

Naturalization Abroad

Certain spouses or children of service members residing

abroad with that service member as authorized by official

orders may be eligible to naturalize abroad.

Please visit www.uscis.gov/military “Requirements for

Naturalization Abroad by Spouses of Members of the U.S.

Armed Forces” for more information.

Posthumous Benefits

Section 329A of the INA allows for the granting of

posthumous citizenship to members of the U.S.Armed

Forces who died while serving in an active-duty

status. In addition, surviving family members seeking

immigration benefits are given special consideration.

Please see the USCIS pamphlet, “Survivor Benefits for

Non-Citizen Relatives of Military

Personnel” (M-601), for more

information.

USCIS Resources

For more information, please visit

www.uscis.gov/military.You can

download forms by clicking on

“Immigration Forms.” To obtain

a copy of the handbook, “A Guide to Naturalization”

(M-476), please visit www.uscis.gov/natzguide.

USCIS Military Help Line

You or your family may also contact the toll-free

USCIS Military Help Line, 1-877-CIS-4MIL

(1-877-247-4645) to request forms or for more

information. USCIS customer service specialists are

available to answer calls Monday through Friday from

8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (CST), except federal holidays.

You or your family may also send an e-mail to:

militaryinfo.nsc@dhs.gov. See the USCIS pamphlet,

“USCIS Military Help Line” (M-671), for more

information. 

Installation USCIS Liaison Contact 

Information:

(Place for stamp/sticker of military installation POC

address & phone number)

USCIS Contact Information:

(Place for stamp/sticker of USCIS Field Office address

& phone number)

M-599 (rev. 03/10)N
Eligibility and the Process

If you are a member or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces

and are interested in becoming a U.S. citizen, you may be

eligible to apply for naturalization under special provisions provided for in the Immigration and Nationality Act

(INA). Generally, service in the U.S.Armed Forces means

service in one of the following branches:

•	 Army

•	 Navy

•	 Marine Corps

•	 Air Force

•	 Coast Guard

•	 National Guard

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

Services (USCIS) has a streamlined

process specifically for military personnel who file under the military

naturalization provisions.

This brochure provides you with

some basic information about the

laws that govern naturalization for

military personnel and the process

that you should follow to begin

your journey to citizenship.

Do You Qualify?

There are general requirements and qualifications that

you must meet in order to become a U.S. citizen.These

requirements include:

•	 Demonstrating that you have good moral character

•	 Demonstrating knowledge of the English language

•	 Demonstrating knowledge of U.S. government and

history (“civics”)

•	 Demonstrating attachment to the principles of the

U.S. Constitution

•	 Taking the Oath of Allegiance

As a member of the military, there are certain naturalization requirements that may not apply to you, including

the required periods of residence and physical presence

in the United States.These exceptions are outlined in sections 328 and 329 of the INA.

If you meet all of the requirements in either section 328 or

329, you may apply for naturalization under either section.

You will not have to pay any fees for your naturalization

application.

Section 328 of the INA 

This section applies to all members currently serving in the

U.S.Armed Forces or those who have recently separated

from service.You may qualify if:

4	You have served honorably, in active duty or reserve service, for a year or more.

4	You are a lawful permanent resident.

4	You apply while in the service or within six months after

being separated.

Section 329 of the INA (Service during 

Hostilities)

This section applies to currently serving members or veterans who served in an active-duty status or in the Selected

Reserve of the Ready Reserve during designated periods

of conflict.The designated periods of conflict are:April 6,

1917–November 11, 1918; September 1, 1939–December

31, 1946; June 25, 1950–July 1, 1955; February 28,

1961–October 15, 1978; September 11, 2001–present.The

current period of designation remains in effect until the

President issues an Executive Order ending the designation.

 You may qualify if:

4	You served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces during an

authorized period of conflict.

4	After enlistment, you were lawfully admitted as a permanent resident of the United States, OR at the time of

enlistment, reenlistment, or induction you were physically present in the United States or a qualifying area.

Could you already be a citizen?

If either of your parents were citizens by birth or naturalization before you turned 18 years old, you may already be a citizen. For more information please refer to

the Instructions for N-600,Application for Certificate of

Citizenship, on www.uscis.gov.

If You Qualify...

Many military installations have a designated USCIS liaison

to help you with the application process and certify your

Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service

(Form N-426).Ask your chain of command for the contact information for this person.

You or your liaison will mail your completed application

and all required materials to:

Nebraska Service Center

PO Box 87426

Lincoln, NE 68501-7426

The Nebraska Service Center will review your application and perform required security checks.These checks

require that USCIS obtain your fingerprints, which can be

done in one of the following ways:

•	 If you were fingerprinted for a previous immigration application, USCIS will use these fingerprints, if

available

•	 You can visit a USCIS Application Support Center at

any time.You do not need an appointment, but you

do need to bring identification with you.This is the

fastest way to comply with the fingerprint requirement

if you are within the U.S. To locate a USCIS Application

Support Center, visit: www.uscis.gov/asc/locator

•	 USCIS will request and use your enlistment fingerprints, if available, if you are overseas or are unable to

report for fingerprinting

•	 USCIS travels to military installations in the U.S. to

capture fingerprints using a mobile fingerprint unit.

Ask your liaison if USCIS has a scheduled trip to your

installation or nearby

•	 If stationed abroad, you may submit 2 properly completed FD-258 fingerprint cards taken by the Military

Police, Department of Homeland Security officials or

U.S. Embassy or Consulate officials

After reviewing your application, the Nebraska Service

Center will send it to a USCIS Field Office for an interview.

You can request an interview at a specific office in a cover

letter attached to your application.The Field Office will

schedule you for an interview to review your eligibility

for naturalization and test your knowledge of English and

civics.