how long does naturalization process take?
by FreeAdvice staff. Once your application for naturalization is filed, the approval time to become a US citizen varies by person and location. The short answer is that it can take anywhere from 5 to 8 months between application and interview. If you live in an area with heavy immigrant populations, it is not unusual to wait 2 years or more to become a US citizen. The USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services or Immigration Services) claims to be working on reducing the processing time for naturalization to approximately 6 months.