Naturalization Legal Reference & Primary Sources

  • Naturalization Legal Reference & Primary Sources
Official Statutes • Regulations • USCIS Policy • Forms

Naturalization Legal Reference & Primary Sources

A research library for locating the principal federal statutes, regulations, USCIS policy guidance, forms, and judicial-review provisions governing U.S. naturalization.

This page is designed primarily as a source directory. For plain-language explanations of how these authorities apply to naturalization problems, use our separate Naturalization Law guides.

Read Naturalization Law Guides Browse Primary Sources
Two Different Resources

Primary Sources vs. Legal Explanations

NaturalizationDenial.com maintains these as separate resources so researchers can move directly between the governing authority and a practical explanation of what that authority means in an actual N-400 case.

This Page: Legal Reference

Use this page when you need the source itself: a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a federal regulation, current USCIS policy, or an official USCIS form.

Browse official legal sources →

Naturalization Law Guides

Use the Naturalization Law section for our explanations of how important statutes and regulations operate in difficult naturalization cases.

Open Naturalization Law →
Research Index

Principal Sources of Naturalization Law

01

Federal Statutes

Immigration and Nationality Act provisions governing eligibility, examination, administrative review, and judicial review.

View statutes →
02

Federal Regulations

Title 8 regulations implementing naturalization eligibility and procedure.

View regulations →
03

USCIS Policy Manual

Current agency guidance contained principally in Volume 12, Citizenship and Naturalization.

View USCIS policy →
04

USCIS Forms

Official N-400, N-336, and N-648 pages containing current editions and filing instructions.

View forms →
05

Administrative Review

Statutes, regulations, and guides governing the N-336 hearing process following an N-400 denial.

View review process →
06

Federal Court

Authorities governing de novo review of denials and qualifying post-examination delays.

View court authority →
Primary Federal Authority

Immigration and Nationality Act

The principal naturalization statutes are codified in Title 8 of the United States Code. The links below lead to official federal statutory sources.

INA § 101(f)
8 U.S.C. § 1101(f)
Good Moral Character Statutory framework defining good moral character and identifying specified statutory bars.
U.S. Code →
INA § 310
8 U.S.C. § 1421
Naturalization Authority & Judicial Review Establishes naturalization authority and includes the federal district-court review provision in § 1421(c).
U.S. Code →
INA § 312
8 U.S.C. § 1423
English & Civics Requirements Statutory educational requirements for English and knowledge of U.S. history and government, subject to applicable exceptions.
U.S. Code →
INA § 316
8 U.S.C. § 1427
General Naturalization Requirements General five-year naturalization framework involving residence, physical presence, good moral character, and constitutional attachment.
U.S. Code →
INA § 318
8 U.S.C. § 1429
Prerequisite to Naturalization Addresses lawful admission for permanent residence and statutory restrictions relevant to naturalization.
U.S. Code →
INA § 319
8 U.S.C. § 1430
Naturalization Through Marriage Naturalization provisions applicable to qualifying spouses of U.S. citizens, including the common three-year route.
U.S. Code →
INA § 335
8 U.S.C. § 1446
Investigation & Examination Federal statutory framework for investigation and examination of naturalization applicants.
U.S. Code →
INA § 336
8 U.S.C. § 1447
Hearings & Delayed Decisions Governs administrative review after denial and contains the federal-court provision applicable to qualifying delayed naturalization determinations.
U.S. Code →
INA § 340
8 U.S.C. § 1451
Revocation of Naturalization Federal statutory authority governing judicial revocation of naturalization in qualifying circumstances.
U.S. Code →
Title 8 Regulations

Federal Naturalization Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations supplies many of the detailed rules governing eligibility, examination, decisions, hearings, and judicial review.

8 C.F.R. PART 312

English & Civics Requirements

Educational requirements and statutory or regulatory exceptions.

Official eCFR →
8 C.F.R. PART 316

General Naturalization Requirements

General eligibility, residence, physical presence, good moral character, and constitutional attachment.

Official eCFR →
8 C.F.R. § 316.5

Residence in the United States

Detailed rules concerning continuous residence and absences from the United States.

Official eCFR →
8 C.F.R. § 316.10

Good Moral Character

Regulatory standards concerning good moral character and specified conduct affecting the determination.

Official eCFR →
8 C.F.R. PART 319

Naturalization Through Marriage

Regulations implementing naturalization provisions applicable to qualifying spouses of U.S. citizens.

Official eCFR →
8 C.F.R. PART 335

Naturalization Examination

Investigation, examination, continuances, withdrawal, and USCIS determination procedures.

Official eCFR → Our explanation →
8 C.F.R. § 335.3

Decision & Continued Examination

Rules addressing initial determinations and continued examination when additional evidence or reexamination is necessary.

Official eCFR →
8 C.F.R. PART 336

N-400 Denials & N-336 Hearings

Administrative hearing procedures after naturalization denial and regulatory provisions concerning judicial review.

Official eCFR → Our explanation →
Agency Guidance

USCIS Policy Manual — Volume 12

USCIS consolidates much of its citizenship and naturalization guidance in Volume 12 of the USCIS Policy Manual. Agency policy should be read together with controlling statutes, regulations, and judicial authority.

Volume 12

Main Citizenship and Naturalization volume.

Open USCIS Policy Manual →

Naturalization Examination

USCIS guidance concerning investigation, examination, evidence, and decisions.

Open Part B →

General Requirements

Policy concerning residence, physical presence, GMC, and related eligibility requirements.

Open Part D →

Good Moral Character

Current agency guidance concerning the good moral character requirement.

Open GMC Guidance →

English & Civics

USCIS policy governing educational requirements, testing, and qualifying exceptions.

Review testing resources →

Denials & Review

Use the current USCIS policy together with INA § 336 and 8 C.F.R. Part 336 when analyzing an N-400 denial.

Review N-336 procedures →
Official USCIS Forms

Principal Naturalization Forms

Always confirm the current edition, filing instructions, fee, and filing method on the official USCIS form page before submission.

FORM N-400

Application for Naturalization

The principal application used to request naturalization.

Current N-400 →
FORM N-336

Request for a Hearing

Used to request USCIS administrative review following denial of Form N-400.

Current N-336 →
FORM N-648

Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions

Used in qualifying cases involving the statutory disability exception to English and/or civics requirements.

Current N-648 →
Administrative Review

Authorities After an N-400 Denial

A naturalization denial begins a specific administrative-review framework. The statutes, regulations, USCIS form requirements, and procedural record should be considered together.

01

INA § 336

Statutory foundation for administrative review following denial.

Read our INA § 336 guide →
02

8 C.F.R. Part 336

Detailed regulations governing the hearing and subsequent judicial-review framework.

Read our regulation guide →
03

Form N-336

Official USCIS form used to request a hearing on the naturalization decision.

Open USCIS N-336 →
04

N-336 Practice Guides

Detailed site resources on timing, evidence, hearing strategy, and potential outcomes.

Explore N-336 hearings →
Judicial Review

Federal Court Naturalization Authorities

Two federal statutes are particularly important but address different procedural situations: review after a qualifying denial and federal jurisdiction over certain delayed naturalization determinations.

8 U.S.C. § 1421(c)

Provides federal district-court review after a naturalization denial following the required administrative hearing process. The statute provides for de novo review.

Read our § 1421(c) guide →

8 U.S.C. § 1447(b)

Provides a separate district-court mechanism when USCIS has not made a determination within the statutory period after the naturalization examination.

Read our § 1447(b) guide →

Do Not Treat § 1421(c) and § 1447(b) as Interchangeable

Section 1421(c) concerns judicial review after an administrative naturalization denial. Section 1447(b) concerns a qualifying failure by USCIS to make a timely post-examination determination. They arise from different procedural postures.

Review the full Federal Court hub →
NaturalizationDenial.com Explanatory Library

Plain-Language Guides to Key Authorities

These are not substitutes for the primary sources above. They explain how important naturalization provisions fit into USCIS adjudication, N-336 review, and federal-court litigation.

INA § 316

General five-year naturalization requirements.

Read guide →

INA § 319

Naturalization through marriage to a U.S. citizen.

Read guide →

INA § 335

Investigation, interview, and naturalization examination.

Read guide →

INA § 336

N-336 hearings, denials, and post-examination remedies.

Read guide →

8 C.F.R. Part 335

Federal naturalization examination regulations.

Read guide →

8 C.F.R. Part 336

N-400 denial and administrative hearing regulations.

Read guide →

Good Moral Character Law

INA § 101(f), INA § 316, and 8 C.F.R. § 316.10.

Read guide →

Federal Court Review

De novo judicial review and federal naturalization jurisdiction.

Review federal court guides →

All Naturalization Law Guides

Browse the site's explanatory statutory and regulatory library.

Open Naturalization Law →
Research Note

Check the Current Authority

Naturalization law can change through legislation, federal regulations, judicial decisions, USCIS policy updates, and revisions to forms or filing instructions.

For an individual matter, verify the current statute, regulation, form edition, USCIS policy, and controlling federal court authority rather than relying solely on a secondary explanation.

Applying the Law to the Record

Has USCIS Raised a Legal Issue in Your Naturalization Case?

A naturalization case review can identify the precise factual finding at issue, match it to the controlling statute and regulations, examine current USCIS policy and the administrative record, and evaluate any available N-336 or federal-court remedy.