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N-400 checklist: which USCIS forms a naturalization filing actually needs
Naturalization is not one form. Before you assemble documents, work out which of Form N-400, Form N-648 and Form I-693 your situation requires, because one of the three is not part of naturalization at all. Fees and rules from USCIS, read 2026-08-27.
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is the filing. Everything else is conditional. Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, is added only where a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment prevents you from meeting the English and civics requirements, and USCIS describes it as a form to "use if you are applying for U.S. citizenship and need to request an exception to the English and civics testing requirements for naturalization".
What this page recommends
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is the filing.
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The three USCIS forms readers confuse, and which one naturalization actually uses
| What USCIS publishes | Form N-400 | Form N-648 | Form I-693 |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Application for Naturalization | Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions | Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record |
| Part of naturalization? | Yes, it is the application | Only if you need an exception to the English and civics requirements | No. It belongs to adjustment of status, not naturalization |
| Who completes it | The applicant | A medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist licensed in the United States | A USCIS-designated civil surgeon |
| Filing fee | $760 paper, $710 online | No filing fee | No filing fee |
| Fee relief published | $380 reduced fee with documentation; $0 with an approved Form I-912 fee waiver | Not applicable; the clinician may still charge for the examination and paperwork | Not applicable; the civil surgeon sets the examination fee |
| Can it be filed online? | Yes, unless you request a reduced fee or a fee waiver | Filed together with the N-400, not separately | Not applicable to naturalization |
| Current form edition | 01/20/25 | 09/25/24 | See the USCIS I-693 page |
| Where the deep guide lives | uscisexam.com N-400 checklist | uscisexam.com N-648 guide | This site's I-693 guides |
What to know about N-400 checklist: which USCIS forms a naturalization filing actually needs
Naturalization is not one form. Before you assemble documents, work out which of Form N-400, Form N-648 and Form I-693 your situation requires, because one of the three is not part of naturalization at all. Fees and rules from USCIS, read 2026-08-27. Use this page to get the decision framework fast, then verify local details on USCIS Medical Exams.
- Read the direct answers first
- Use the checklist before you call or book
- Route to the official local guide for local next steps
What this page cannot decide for you
This page is educational and is not legal advice. It restates what USCIS publishes about Form N-400, Form N-648 and Form I-693 and does not rank, endorse or recommend any preparer or provider.
Verify the source before acting
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; reviewed 2026-08-27
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; reviewed 2026-08-27
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; reviewed 2026-08-27
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; reviewed 2026-07-24
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; reviewed 2026-08-27
Which USCIS forms does a naturalization filing actually involve?
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is the filing. Everything else is conditional. Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, is added only where a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment prevents you from meeting the English and civics requirements, and USCIS describes it as a form to "use if you are applying for U.S. citizenship and need to request an exception to the English and civics testing requirements for naturalization". Form I-693 is the one that does not belong here at all: it is the Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, and it is filed in adjustment of status, not naturalization. That distinction is the single most useful thing to settle before you start collecting paper, because the I-693 route involves finding a USCIS-designated civil surgeon and the naturalization route does not. Settle which forms apply, then read the document checklist for that combination rather than a general one.
What does Form N-400 cost, and what are the two published ways it can cost nothing?
USCIS publishes the figures directly on its Form N-400 page: "Submit $760 if filing by paper, or $710 if filing online." Filing online is therefore $50 cheaper for the same application. There are two published routes to a lower or zero fee. The first is the reduced fee: USCIS instructs applicants applying for one to "Submit $380 and documentation to support the reduced fee". The second is a full waiver, where USCIS says to "Do not submit a fee, and instead submit a properly completed Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or written request, and documentation to support the fee waiver request." Both come with the same trap, and USCIS states it plainly: "You cannot file online if you are requesting a fee waiver or a reduced fee; you must file a paper Form N-400." So the cheapest filing route and the fee-relief routes are mutually exclusive. Decide which one you qualify for before you start an online application, because switching means starting again on paper. These figures are from Form G-1055, the USCIS fee schedule; USCIS published a new edition, 05/29/26, on May 29, 2026.
Is the USCIS checklist the requirement, or just a convenience?
It is a convenience, and USCIS says so in the same breath as publishing it. The page carries a "Checklist of Required Initial Evidence (for informational purposes only)" and then states: "The checklist is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements." It also says "Please do not submit this checklist with your Form N-400." That matters more than it sounds. It means the form instructions govern, and that a checklist found anywhere else, including this site, is at best a navigation aid. It also means a checklist that has drifted out of date cannot be relied on as a defence. USCIS lists the current N-400 edition date as 01/20/25 and tells applicants to check the edition date printed at the bottom of the form. Use any checklist to organise yourself, then verify against the instructions for the edition you are actually filing.
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is the filing. Everything else is conditional. Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, is added only where a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment prevents you from meeting the English and civics requirements, and USCIS describes it as a form to "use if you are applying for U.S. citizenship and need to request an exception to the English and civics testing requirements for naturalization". Form I-693 is the one that does not belong here at all: it is the Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, and it is filed in adjustment of status, not naturalization. That distinction is the single most useful thing to settle before you start collecting paper, because the I-693 route involves finding a USCIS-designated civil surgeon and the naturalization route does not. Settle which forms apply, then read the document checklist for that combination rather than a general one.
Quick checklist
- Confirm you are filing Form N-400 and not an adjustment-of-status package.
- Decide whether Form N-648 applies to you, before you file rather than after.
- Do not arrange an immigration medical examination for a naturalization filing; Form I-693 is not a naturalization form.
- Once the form set is settled, read the document checklist for your specific filing basis.
Red flags
- A preparer schedules a civil surgeon appointment for a naturalization case.
- Advice that treats Form I-693 and Form N-648 as interchangeable medical forms; they answer different questions for different filings.
- A checklist that does not say which filing basis it covers.
USCIS publishes the figures directly on its Form N-400 page: "Submit $760 if filing by paper, or $710 if filing online." Filing online is therefore $50 cheaper for the same application. There are two published routes to a lower or zero fee. The first is the reduced fee: USCIS instructs applicants applying for one to "Submit $380 and documentation to support the reduced fee". The second is a full waiver, where USCIS says to "Do not submit a fee, and instead submit a properly completed Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or written request, and documentation to support the fee waiver request." Both come with the same trap, and USCIS states it plainly: "You cannot file online if you are requesting a fee waiver or a reduced fee; you must file a paper Form N-400." So the cheapest filing route and the fee-relief routes are mutually exclusive. Decide which one you qualify for before you start an online application, because switching means starting again on paper. These figures are from Form G-1055, the USCIS fee schedule; USCIS published a new edition, 05/29/26, on May 29, 2026.
Quick checklist
- Decide the fee route first: full fee, reduced fee, or waiver.
- If paying the full fee, filing online is $710 against $760 on paper.
- If requesting a reduced fee or waiver, plan for a paper filing from the start.
- Gather the supporting documentation the reduced fee or waiver request requires before you file.
Red flags
- A service quoting a single naturalization price without separating its own charge from the USCIS filing fee.
- Advice to file online while also requesting a fee waiver; USCIS says that cannot be done.
- A fee figure quoted with no edition date for the G-1055 fee schedule it came from.
It is a convenience, and USCIS says so in the same breath as publishing it. The page carries a "Checklist of Required Initial Evidence (for informational purposes only)" and then states: "The checklist is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements." It also says "Please do not submit this checklist with your Form N-400." That matters more than it sounds. It means the form instructions govern, and that a checklist found anywhere else, including this site, is at best a navigation aid. It also means a checklist that has drifted out of date cannot be relied on as a defence. USCIS lists the current N-400 edition date as 01/20/25 and tells applicants to check the edition date printed at the bottom of the form. Use any checklist to organise yourself, then verify against the instructions for the edition you are actually filing.
Quick checklist
- Treat every checklist, including this one, as a navigation aid rather than the requirement.
- Read the form instructions for the edition you are filing.
- Check the edition date at the bottom of the form; USCIS lists 01/20/25 for Form N-400.
- Do not submit the checklist itself with your application.
Red flags
- A checklist presented as the legal requirement rather than the form instructions.
- A downloadable checklist with no edition date and no retrieval date.
- A preparer who has not read the instructions for the edition being filed.
Three, and they apply no matter which basis you file under. First, originals. USCIS instructs: "Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations." Sending an original because it feels safer is the opposite of safe. Second, translation. USCIS states that if you submit any documents in a foreign language "you must include a full English translation along with a certification" from the translator. A translation without the certification is incomplete, and it is a common reason for a request for evidence. Third, biometrics: "Applicants who file Form N-400 must generally submit biometrics unless we waive the requirement," and an applicant required to appear at an application support center will receive a notice of their scheduled appointment. None of these three depends on whether you are filing as a five-year permanent resident or as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. Get them right once and they are right for every basis.
Quick checklist
- Send copies, not originals, unless the instructions specifically request an original.
- Pair every foreign-language document with a full English translation and the translator's certification.
- Expect a biometrics appointment notice, and keep the address on file current so it reaches you.
- Keep your own complete copy of everything you send.
Red flags
- A preparer who mails original civil documents by default.
- A translation supplied without a signed certification of competence and completeness.
- A change of address that was never reported, so appointment notices go to the wrong place.
Form N-648 requests an exception to the English and civics testing requirements because of a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment. Two published constraints decide whether it is realistic for you. First, who may sign it: USCIS states that "Only a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist licensed to practice in the United States may certify Form N-648," and suggests contacting your state medical board to check that a professional holds a valid licence. Second, how the evaluation must happen: "An authorized medical professional must evaluate you in person or where the state law permits, a real-time telehealth examination." On cost, USCIS is direct that the form itself is free while the clinical work is not: "There is no filing fee for Form N-648. However, a medical professional may charge a fee for a medical examination and for filling out forms." So the published price of the exception is zero and the real cost is whatever the clinician charges, which no authority publishes. The current form edition is 09/25/24. Arrange this before filing, not after a test attempt has gone badly.
Quick checklist
- Confirm the clinician is a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist licensed in the United States.
- Check the licence with the state medical board, as USCIS suggests.
- Arrange an in-person evaluation, or a real-time telehealth examination where state law permits it.
- Budget for the clinician's fee; there is no USCIS filing fee for the form itself.
Red flags
- A certifier outside the three professions USCIS names.
- A form completed without an examination, or from a records review alone.
- A service quoting an N-648 "filing fee"; USCIS says there is none.
The date on your receipt notice is not just a record; it selects which naturalization civics test you will sit. USCIS ties the test version to the Form N-400 filing date rather than the interview date, so two people interviewed in the same week can face different question banks and different pass marks. That is why the filing decision and the study decision are connected: buying study materials before you know your filing date, or before you file, risks preparing for the wrong test entirely. The English requirement is tested separately from civics, and the USCIS Policy Manual sets out how attempts and the statutory exceptions work. The practical consequence for assembling a filing is small but real: file deliberately, record the date, and do not begin studying from an undated guide. This site's citizenship test guide sets out which version applies to which filing date and what each one asks.
Quick checklist
- Record the filing date from your receipt notice and keep it with your study materials.
- Confirm which civics test version your filing date selects before buying or downloading anything.
- Treat the English and civics requirements as separate tests with separate preparation.
- Re-read the exception rules if a disability exception may apply to you.
Red flags
- Study material that does not name the test version it covers.
- Advice keyed to the year of your interview rather than the date of your filing.
- A practice test scored as a percentage rather than by the number of correct answers USCIS requires.
This page decides the form set. It deliberately does not reproduce the document checklist, because USCIS publishes that itself and uscisexam.com sets it out in depth, basis by basis, including the additional evidence a spouse of a U.S. citizen must provide and the continuous-residence evidence USCIS names. Read that once you know which basis applies. If a disability exception is in play, arrange the N-648 evaluation in parallel rather than sequentially, because it depends on a clinician's availability rather than yours. If you arrived here looking for the immigration medical examination, you want the I-693 guides on this site instead, which cover the civil surgeon requirement, what the examination involves, and how long a completed form stays valid. And if the naturalization test is the part you are worried about, the citizenship test guide on this site is keyed to filing dates rather than calendar years.
Quick checklist
- Know your filing basis, then read the matching document checklist in depth.
- Start any N-648 clinical appointment early, since it depends on someone else's calendar.
- If you need the immigration medical examination, switch to the I-693 guides; it is a different filing.
- Use the citizenship test guide keyed to your filing date rather than a year-labelled study pack.
Red flags
- Assembling documents before the filing basis is settled.
- Leaving an N-648 evaluation until after a failed test attempt.
- Mixing guidance written for adjustment of status into a naturalization filing.
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