USCIS naturalization (Form N-400) processing times have shown modest improvement in the second quarter of FY2026, with national average processing times declining from 10–12 months to approximately 7–9 months. However, significant variation persists across field offices — some locations in Florida, Texas, and California still exceed 12 months.
What's Driving the Improvement
USCIS has redirected some adjudication resources toward the naturalization backlog. Additionally, the AI-assisted case triage system is helping identify straightforward cases for faster processing. Premium processing is not available for N-400 applications.
Eligibility Reminders
To naturalize, you generally need 5 years of permanent residence (3 years if married to a U.S. citizen), continuous physical presence, good moral character, and the ability to pass the civics and English tests. The public charge rule does not directly apply to naturalization but can affect eligibility in edge cases.