Everyone should bring
- Your interview appointment notice. USCIS mails this to you. It shows your date, time and office, and lists anything specific to your case.
- Your Permanent Resident Card (green card).
- A government-issued photo ID, such as a state driver's license or ID card.
- All passports and travel documents, valid and expired, that you used since becoming a permanent resident. They show your trips outside the United States.
- IRS tax transcripts. The Form N-400 instructions say you should bring them, especially if you spent more than 6 months outside the United States on any trip.
It's also smart to bring a copy of the Form N-400 you submitted. The officer will go through it with you, and you'll want to remember exactly what you wrote, including dates of trips and addresses.
Bring these if they apply to you
If you applied through marriage to a U.S. citizen
- Your current marriage certificate
- Proof your spouse has been a U.S. citizen for the last 3 years (for example, a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or U.S. passport)
- Proof that any earlier marriages, yours or your spouse's, ended (divorce decrees, annulments or death certificates)
- Documents showing your life together, such as joint tax returns, bank accounts, leases or mortgages, or children's birth certificates
If your name has changed
Bring the document that legally changed it: a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
If you've ever been arrested, cited or charged
The N-400 instructions say you may send photocopies with your application, but you must bring originals or court-certified copies to your interview. This includes arrest reports, court dispositions, and proof you completed any sentence, probation or program, even if your record was sealed or expunged. If this applies to you, talking to an immigration attorney before your interview is a good idea.
If you owe taxes or didn't file
Bring your payment agreement with the IRS or the state or local tax office and proof of where your repayment stands, plus any IRS correspondence about unfiled returns.
If you had a long trip abroad
For trips of 6 months or more, bring evidence that you kept living in and holding ties to the United States, such as tax transcripts, pay stubs, rent or mortgage records.
If you pay child support or alimony
Bring the court or government support order and proof that you paid (cancelled checks, receipts or a payment printout).
If you didn't register for Selective Service
Men who were required to register and didn't may need a Status Information Letter from the Selective Service System.
If you qualify for an English exception
If you're exempt from the English test (for example, under the 50/20, 55/15 or 65/20 rules) and need an interpreter, you must bring your own interpreter. The interpreter takes an oath and must show government-issued ID.
Tips for the day
- Arrive early. Allow time for parking and security screening at the federal building.
- Documents in another language need a full English translation with a signed translator certification.
- Moved since you applied? You must tell USCIS every time you change your address. Don't wait for the interview.
- Can't make it? Follow the rescheduling instructions on your notice as soon as possible. Missing an interview without notice can lead to your case being closed.
While you wait for your interview, practice the civics test, the English reading and writing test and the N-400 interview questions.
Sources: Form N-400 Instructions (edition 01/20/25); USCIS Form M-477, Document Checklist; USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part B, Chapter 3; USCIS M-1051, 10 Steps to Naturalization. Always follow the instructions on your own appointment notice. This is general information, not legal advice.