After the I-829 is approved, when can I apply for citizenship?

Once the I-829 is approved, the conditions on your green card are removed and you become a permanent resident without conditions, with all the rights that status provides. Citizenship, however, is a separate step: it comes through naturalization, which has its own requirements.

To naturalize, you must fulfill a minimum period as a permanent resident before filing a petition. That period counts from when you became a lawful permanent resident and includes time both before and after the I-829 approval, meaning it does not restart when the conditions are removed.

In addition to the residence period, USCIS evaluates other requirements, such as physical presence in the country, good moral character, and civic knowledge. There are specific situations, such as marriage to a U.S. citizen, where the required time may be shorter, but that follows its own rules and not every applicant qualifies.

Since the timelines and criteria for naturalization depend on your individual history and may change, it is worth confirming the current requirements with USCIS and reviewing your case with a specialist before submitting your petition.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.