The Naturalization Interview Document Checklist

Every one of these documents traces back to something specific the officer is required to verify — your identity, your travel history, your continuous residence, or something you wrote on your own N-400. None of it is arbitrary, and bringing it all the first time avoids the single most common reason interviews get continued to a second appointment: missing paperwork.

Bring These — Everyone

• 1
  Interview appointment noticeThe letter (Form I-797C) USCIS mailed you with the date, time and location.
• 2
  Permanent Resident Card (green card)Bring it even if it has expired.
• 3
  Government-issued photo IDDriver's license or state ID, in addition to the green card.
• 4
  All passports, current and expiredFrom your home country and any US travel document (Reentry Permit, Refugee Travel Document) — USCIS checks entry/exit stamps against your travel history.

If It Applies to You

These aren't needed by everyone — only bring the ones that match your actual situation.

• 5
  Proof of current addressIf it changed since you filed the N-400, or if requested.
• 6
  Tax returns or IRS transcripts, last 5 years(3 years if applying based on marriage to a US citizen.) Bring these especially if you have back taxes or the officer asks about continuous residence.
• 7
  Marriage certificate, and proof any prior marriages endedDivorce decree, annulment or death certificate — yours and, if applying through marriage, your spouse's.
• 8
  Selective Service proof or Status Information LetterFor most people assigned male at birth who lived in the US between ages 18–26.
• 9
  Certified court records for any arrest or citationEven if the charges were dismissed, expunged or sealed — bring the certified final disposition.
• 10
  Proof of legal name changeIf your name today is different from the one on your green card.
• 11
  Military service documentsForm N-426 or discharge papers (DD-214), if applying based on military service.

What This Doesn't Cover

This list is general guidance for a typical case — it isn't exhaustive, and it isn't legal advice. If you have a more complex immigration history (a prior removal case, a criminal record beyond a minor citation, a gap in continuous residence), the right documents can vary a lot, and that's worth a conversation with a licensed immigration attorney before your interview, not after.

• USCIS, Form N-400 Instructions for Application for Naturalization (2024–2026 edition) — uscis.gov/n-400
• USCIS, M-477 Document Checklist — uscis.gov
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), "N-400 Documentation Guide — Submitting Evidence in the Naturalization Process," Practice Advisory

Educational checklist only — not immigration legal advice. Requirements change; always confirm current rules at uscis.gov/n-400 or with a licensed immigration attorney before your interview.