The two requirements people confuse
How to file Form N-400: steps, fees & timeline (2026)
N-400 document checklist (save your progress)
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Frequently asked questions
Sources: INA §316 (5-year) and §319(a) (spouse 3-year); USCIS — Form N-400; USCIS Policy Manual Vol. 12 Part D Ch. 4 and Vol. 12 Part G Ch. 3; 8 CFR §316.2; 8 CFR part 106 and the 2024 USCIS fee rule (89 FR 6194). Physical presence 913 days (5-yr) / 548 days (3-yr); 90-day early filing; 6-month absence presumption, 1-year automatic break; N-400 fee $710 online / $760 paper. Verification (2026-09-17, measured): the Policy Manual states the five-year rule as “at least 30 months (at least 913 days)” (Vol. 12 Part D Ch. 4) and the spouse rule as “at least 18 months (548 days) out of the 3 years immediately preceding the date of filing” (Vol. 12 Part G Ch. 3). 8 CFR §106.1(g) sets the online filing discount as “the fee for forms filed online with USCIS … will be an amount that is $50 lower than the fee prescribed in § 106.2”, and the 2024 fee rule records “Previously, most applicants had to pay a separate $85 fee for biometrics” together with “a $50 discount for online filing ($710)”. 8 CFR §316.2 itself states the five-year rule in months (30 months) and does not address the three-year spouse pathway (INA §319(a)); §319.1(a)(4) states it as “at least 18 months”. Independent self-assessment, not legal advice; consult a licensed US immigration attorney.