Looking closer at each reason

1. You cannot be deported

A permanent resident can be placed in removal proceedings for a wide range of criminal convictions, for fraud, or for abandoning residence. A naturalized citizen can lose citizenship only through denaturalization, which requires the government to prove in federal court that citizenship was obtained illegally or by concealing a material fact. For most people, naturalization ends the risk of losing the right to live in the United States.

2. You can vote and serve on juries

Only citizens may vote in federal elections and in nearly all state and local elections, and only citizens serve on federal juries. Voting is the most direct way to influence the laws that affect your family, your business, and your community.

3. A U.S. passport

A U.S. passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to most of the world, gives you access to U.S. embassies and consular help abroad, and guarantees your right to return to the United States. It also removes the six-month and one-year absence rules that limit how long a green card holder can stay abroad.

4. Faster and broader family sponsorship

Citizens can petition for parents, married children, and brothers and sisters, none of which a permanent resident can do. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of citizens are “immediate relatives” with no annual visa cap, so their cases move much faster than the family-preference categories available to green card holders.

5. Citizenship for your children

Under the Child Citizenship Act, a child under 18 who is a permanent resident and lives in the legal and physical custody of a parent who naturalizes automatically becomes a citizen. Children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents may also acquire citizenship at birth, subject to residence requirements.

6. Federal jobs and benefits

Many federal jobs, most positions requiring a security clearance, and certain federal grants and scholarships are limited to citizens. Some public benefits are also restricted for non-citizens or subject to waiting periods.

7. No more renewals

Green cards expire every 10 years and cost money and time to renew, and an expired card can cause problems with employers and at the border. Citizenship is permanent. There is no card to renew and no status to maintain.

Reasons some people wait

A few countries do not allow dual citizenship, and some applicants prefer to keep their original nationality for property, inheritance, or family reasons. Others have a pending criminal matter, a tax problem, or a long absence that should be resolved before filing, because an N-400 invites a full review of your record. If any of these applies to you, talk with an immigration attorney about timing rather than deciding not to apply.

Cost and timeline

The current N-400 fee is $760 by paper or $710 online, with a reduced fee of $380 for applicants whose household income is between 150 and 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and a full fee waiver (Form I-912) for those below 150 percent or receiving a means-tested benefit. In June 2026, DHS proposed raising the fee substantially; check the current amount at uscis.gov before filing. Most applications take several months to over a year from filing to oath, depending on the field office.

Last reviewed and expanded by the USCitizenTestPractice Editorial Team in September 2026, based on the USCIS Policy Manual, the official 2025 civics test materials, and current USCIS fee and form instructions. This is an independent study resource, not legal advice.