Become a U.S. citizen faster.
Most applicants wait five years to naturalize — but several provisions of the law let qualifying applicants become citizens sooner. Here are the expedited and special paths, and how to tell which fits you.
- The three-year rule (INA 319(a)). Spouses of U.S. citizens can naturalize after three years as a permanent resident instead of five.
- Spouse of a citizen abroad (INA 319(b)). No continuous-residence or physical-presence requirement — our flagship specialty.
- Military service (INA 328/329). Service members and veterans have their own reduced or waived requirements.
- Children of citizens abroad (INA 322). A path to citizenship for the foreign-resident children of U.S. citizens.
- One conversation finds your fastest path. A licensed U.S. immigration attorney will tell you which provision fits.
Faster than the standard five years
Naturalization under the general rule (INA 316) requires five years as a lawful permanent resident. But the Immigration and Nationality Act contains several provisions that shorten — or in some cases eliminate — that waiting period for people in particular situations. The right path depends on your status, your marriage, and where you and your family live and work.
Spouse of a U.S. citizen: the three-year rule (INA 319(a))
The most widely used expedited path. If you are a lawful permanent resident who has been married to and living with the same U.S. citizen for the last three years — and your spouse has been a citizen for those three years — you may apply to naturalize after three years as a permanent resident, rather than five. You must also meet the usual good-moral-character, English, and civics requirements.
Spouse of a citizen working abroad: INA 319(b)
If your U.S. citizen spouse is regularly stationed abroad in qualifying employment, INA 319(b) goes further still: it removes the continuous-residence and physical-presence requirements entirely, so you can naturalize on an expedited timeline from overseas. This is our flagship specialty — see the dedicated site 319bnaturalization.com for the full detail.
Other special paths
Several more provisions exist for particular circumstances. We'll confirm whether you qualify and, where a matter falls outside our family-immigration focus, point you in the right direction:
- Military service (INA 328 and 329). Service members and veterans have reduced residence requirements — and, for service during designated periods of hostilities, those requirements can be waived altogether.
- Children of U.S. citizens residing abroad (INA 322). A child under 18 living outside the United States with a U.S. citizen parent may be able to obtain citizenship through an expedited process (Form N-600K).
Eligibility rules for each provision are specific and detail-sensitive. The fastest way to know your options is a short conversation.
How we help
We identify the provision that gets you to citizenship soonest, confirm your eligibility, prepare and file the Form N-400 (or N-600K) with the correct legal basis and supporting evidence, and prepare you for the interview and oath. A licensed U.S. immigration attorney with 30 years of experience stays on your file from intake through the oath ceremony.
Find your fastest path to citizenship.
Tell us about your situation and a licensed U.S. immigration attorney will identify the expedited path that fits — usually within one business day. All inquiries are confidential. Sending this form does not create an attorney-client relationship until we have agreed to represent you in writing.
Common questions.
How can I naturalize faster than five years?
The most common shortcut is the three-year rule (INA 319(a)) for spouses of U.S. citizens. INA 319(b) goes further for spouses of citizens employed abroad (no residence requirement), and military service under INA 328/329 has its own reduced or waived requirements.
What is the three-year rule?
A permanent resident married to and living with the same U.S. citizen for three years — during which the spouse has been a citizen — may apply to naturalize after three years instead of five, if the other requirements are met.
What is INA 319(b)?
It lets the permanent-resident spouse of a U.S. citizen who is regularly stationed abroad in qualifying employment naturalize on an expedited timeline, without the standard continuous-residence and physical-presence requirements. See 319bnaturalization.com.
Do I have to be a green-card holder first?
For most expedited paths, yes. Some military provisions are exceptions. If you are not yet a permanent resident, we can help you obtain the green card first and then pursue expedited naturalization.
Ready to become a citizen sooner?
Free consultation with a U.S. immigration attorney. We'll find your fastest eligible path.