When can I apply for US citizenship?

Generally after 5 years as a permanent resident (3 if married to and living with a US citizen the whole time), with at least 913 days of physical presence (548 for the 3-year path) and 3 months in your state. You may file up to 90 days before reaching the continuous-residence anniversary.

Does a long trip abroad reset my citizenship clock?

An absence of more than 6 months but less than a year creates a rebuttable presumption of breaking continuous residence. An absence of 1 year or more breaks it (unless you had an approved Form N-470).

Immigration · US 2026

Am I eligible to apply for citizenship yet?

Q: How many days do I need to be physically present?

At least 913 days (30 months) over the 5-year period, or 548 days (18 months) over the 3-year period for spouses of US citizens.

The N-400 has a few hard numbers that decide whether USCIS will even accept your application — and getting them wrong means a rejected filing and a lost fee. There's also a rule almost nobody knows: you can file 90 days early. Enter your dates and we'll check your continuous residence, physical presence, and the day you can actually file.

Your naturalization timeline

Which path applies to you?

Date you became a permanent resident (on your green card)

Total days physically present in the US during that period

Your longest single trip outside the US in that period (days)

Months you've lived in your current state / USCIS district

Are you at least 18 years old?

Earliest you can file N-400

Your requirements

How N-400 eligibility works & data sources

Two clocks run at once. Continuous residence: you must have been a permanent resident for 5 years (general) or 3 years (if you've been married to and living with a US citizen the whole time). The famous shortcut — the 90-day early-filing rule — lets you submit the N-400 up to 90 days before you hit that anniversary. It applies to continuous residence only; it does not reduce the physical-presence or state-residence requirements.

Physical presence: you must have actually been in the US for at least 913 days (30 months) over the 5-year period, or 548 days (18 months) over the 3-year period. And you must have lived in your state or USCIS district for at least 3 months. Long trips matter: an absence of more than 6 months but less than a year creates a rebuttable presumption that you broke continuous residence (you can overcome it with evidence); an absence of 1 year or more breaks it outright unless you had an approved Form N-470. You must also be at least 18 and meet good-moral-character rules.

✅ Rules verified as of July 19, 2026 — USCIS Policy Manual Vol.12 (30 months = 913 days; 18 months = 548 days; 90-day early filing; 180-day/1-year absence rules); INA §316/§319. Statutory figures unchanged for 2026 · Educational, not legal advice.

Sources: USCIS — Continuous residence & physical presence · USCIS Policy Manual — Physical presence (913 days) · USCIS — Form N-400

Frequently asked questions

My green card says I've been an LPR for 4 years and 9 months — can I file now?

On the 5-year path, yes — the 90-day early-filing rule lets you file once you're within 90 days of the 5-year mark, i.e. at 4 years and 9 months. You still need the 913 days of physical presence by your actual filing date.

I spent 7 months in Mexico caring for a parent. Did I lose my continuous residence?

Not automatically. An absence over 6 months but under a year creates a rebuttable presumption — you can overcome it with evidence you kept your US ties (home, job, family, taxes). An absence of a full year or more is the one that breaks the clock outright.

Does physical presence mean I add up all my days in the US?

Yes — total the days you were physically in the US across the statutory period. You need at least 913 (5-year) or 548 (3-year). Days spent abroad don't count, even short trips.