Complete N-400 naturalization guide for Miami & South Florida. Requirements, 2026 fees, timelines, and tips from Fitenko Law PLLC in Hallandale Beach.
For the hundreds of thousands of lawful permanent residents living across Doral, Hialeah, Brickell, Aventura, and Hallandale Beach, U.S. citizenship is more than a legal milestone — it is the ability to vote, sponsor family members, and travel on a U.S. passport without fear of losing your status. If you have been a green card holder for several years and are wondering whether you are ready to file Form N-400, this guide walks you through every stage of the process, the 2026 costs, and what Miami-area applicants should expect.
USCIS sets several baseline requirements before you can apply for naturalization. Understanding which category applies to you determines when you can file.
If you obtained your green card through employment, the diversity lottery, asylum, refugee status, or most other pathways, you must generally:
If you obtained your green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen and you are still married to and living with that same citizen, the waiting period is reduced to 3 years as an LPR, with physical presence of at least 18 months out of those 3 years. This is a meaningful benefit for many Venezuelan, Cuban, Colombian, and Haitian-American families in the Miami metro who sponsored spouses from abroad.
Many Miami-area applicants — particularly those with family in Venezuela, Cuba, or Colombia — travel frequently. Continuous residence does not mean you cannot leave the U.S., but long absences can break or disrupt it.
If you are unsure whether your travel history affects your eligibility, this is precisely the kind of question to discuss with an immigration attorney before filing — not after receiving a Request for Evidence.
"Good moral character" is evaluated over your entire statutory period (3 or 5 years) and, in some cases, beyond. USCIS will consider:
A record does not automatically disqualify you, but full, accurate disclosure is required. Omissions are treated far more seriously than the underlying offense in many cases. An experienced immigration attorney can evaluate your history and advise whether any issues present a barrier or require additional documentation.
At your USCIS interview — conducted at the Miami Field Office for most South Florida applicants — an officer will test your English by having you read one sentence aloud, write one sentence from dictation, and conduct the interview itself in English. The civics portion involves the officer asking up to 10 questions from the published list of 100; you must answer 6 correctly to pass.
You may be exempt from the English requirement (though not the civics test) if you are:
Under these exemptions, you may take the civics test in your native language with a qualified interpreter you bring to the interview.
You may be exempt from both the English and civics tests if you have a medically documented physical or developmental disability or mental impairment, certified on Form N-648 by an authorized medical professional.
The USCIS civics study materials and practice tests are available in multiple languages at no cost on the USCIS website. Many community centers in Hialeah, Kendall, and Little Havana offer free citizenship preparation classes.
As of June 2026, USCIS charges the following for Form N-400:
There is a $50 difference between online and paper filing, with online filing carrying the lower fee. Most applicants in working-age households will find online filing straightforward.
Important payment note: USCIS no longer accepts personal checks or money orders for paper N-400 filings. For paper filings you generally pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or directly from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650. Accepted payment methods are listed on the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055). Verify accepted payment methods at the time you file, as agency procedures can change.
Fee waivers and reduced fees: Lower-income applicants may qualify for relief, but the two paths use different forms. If your documented household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you may request a full fee waiver using Form I-912. If your income is below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you may instead qualify for a reduced fee of $380 using Form I-942. Note that if you request a fee waiver or reduced fee, you generally cannot file the N-400 online — you must file a paper application. None of this is automatic; you must request it and document your eligibility at the time of filing.
No premium processing: Unlike some employment-based petitions, premium processing is not available for N-400. Processing times vary by field office and filing volume; check current USCIS processing times before you file.
The N-400 looks straightforward on the surface, but it is a federal government form that asks about sensitive history under penalty of perjury. Mistakes or omissions have derailed naturalizations — and in some cases led to removal proceedings — for applicants who filed without legal review.
At Fitenko Law PLLC, Ekaterina Fitenko, Esq. regularly works with naturalization clients throughout the Miami metro: Doral, Brickell, Aventura, Hialeah, Kendall, and Hallandale Beach. The firm serves clients in English and Russian and works with the broader South Florida immigrant community, including Venezuelan, Colombian, Eastern European, and other backgrounds.
A pre-filing consultation typically covers:
Fitenko Law PLLC
600 Three Islands Blvd, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
(305) 315-3425
Call (305) 315-3425 to schedule a consultation, or visit our contact page to reach us online. We are happy to discuss your naturalization timeline in detail.
Yes. Your green card is evidence of LPR status, but an expired card does not terminate that status. However, you will typically need to renew the card to travel internationally, and USCIS may note the discrepancy. Many attorneys recommend filing N-400 before the card expires or renewing concurrently.
Processing times fluctuate based on filing volume and staffing. As of mid-2026, N-400 processing at most offices ranges from several months to over a year. Check the current processing times tool on uscis.gov before filing, and note that your specific wait time may differ from the published median.
A single DUI does not automatically bar naturalization, but it must be fully disclosed on the N-400 and you must demonstrate good moral character for the statutory period. USCIS officers have discretion. An immigration attorney should review your case before you file.
An absence of 6 months or more but less than 1 year creates a presumption that continuous residence was interrupted. You may be able to overcome this with evidence showing your ties to the U.S. (employment, lease, family, taxes) were maintained. An attorney can help you evaluate whether and how to document this.
No. Naturalization is individual. Spouses who are both LPRs can file separately or at different times based on their own eligibility dates and circumstances.
No. USCIS filing fees are generally non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the application. This is another reason a pre-filing review with an attorney is worthwhile — to avoid paying a fee and filing a case that has a foreseeable problem.
This article is general educational information only, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration law and USCIS fees, procedures, and processing times change frequently; verify all details with a licensed immigration attorney and directly with USCIS before taking action.
Fitenko Law PLLC, 600 Three Islands Blvd, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. Phone: (305) 315-3425. Email: fitenkolaw@gmail.com