Your Military Service Offers a Faster Track to U.S. Citizenship

4 minute read Aug. 19, 2026

The information contained on this website is designed to educate and inform service members and their families on their personal legal affairs. Nothing contained in the website is a substitute for the competent legal advice of a licensed attorney. Service members and their families seeking legal advice should consult the staff of the nearest installation Legal Assistance Office.

Each year, thousands of foreign-born service members and their family members become naturalized U.S. citizens. Learn more about how to become an American citizen and the ways you can use your military service to speed things up and save money on processing fees.

Advantages of applying for citizenship through military service

The main advantages for foreign-born service members to apply for U.S. citizenship are:

Shorter residency requirements. Typically, applicants must reside within the
United States as a lawful permanent resident for five continuous years, or three years if they’re married to an American citizen, before they can apply for citizenship. But eligible foreign-born service members require no more than one day of honorable service before they can file their Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
No state-of-residence requirement. Civilian applicants must live in the state or service district where they file their Form N-400 for a minimum of three months. Eligible foreign-born service members do not need to meet this requirement.
Waived application fees. Civilian applicants pay $710 or $760 to become an American citizen, depending on whether they file online or by mail. Foreign-born service members are not required to pay the application fee, though their spouses are.

Learn about citizenship for family members, survivors and other special immigration options.

Steps to U.S. naturalization through military service

Many military installations have a designated U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services liaison at a local USCIS office to help you with the application process. Be sure to check with your commanding officer and the Legal Assistance Office at your local installation for the latest information on naturalization policies for active-duty service members.

See the Citizenship and Immigration MilLife Guide to learn the five steps to U.S. naturalization and citizenship through military service.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services contacts

Support is available to service members and their families who have questions about applying for citizenship.

Call the toll-free U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Military Help Line at 877-247-4645, TTY 800-877-8339, or visit the Military Help Line webpage. USCIS representatives are available to answer calls Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Central Time, excluding federal holidays.Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families stationed in the U.S. or overseas may access the helpline toll-free through their base telephone operator or via the Defense Switched Network.
Email inquiries to a specific USCIS contact for service members, designated spouses or children who have pending applications with USCIS may email guamoverseasmilnatz@uscis.dhs.gov for those stationed in the Asia-Pacific region; and wasoverseasmilnatz@uscis.dhs.gov for those stationed in Europe, the Middle East or Africa.Contact Military OneSource for help with immigration, citizenship and the naturalization process. Overseas? View OCONUS calling options.