When did you arrive in the United States?

When the USCIS officer asks when the applicant arrived in the United States, the applicant should respond with the original date of arrival in the country, typically the first lawful entry, including the month, day, and year as documented on the I-94 admission record, the visa, or the Permanent Resident Card. The officer asks this question to establish the timeline of the applicant's history in the country and to verify documentation. The first arrival may have been as a temporary visitor (with a tourist, student, work, or other nonimmigrant visa), or as a permanent resident.

Applicants who entered first as nonimmigrants and later adjusted to permanent resident status should distinguish between the original arrival date and the green card date. The N-400 form, Part 1, asks for the date the applicant became a permanent resident, which is the date stamped on the green card and on the I-485 adjustment of status approval notice (or on the I-551 stamp in the passport for entries through consular processing).

The first arrival date is needed to calculate eligibility under several rules. Some applicants qualify for naturalization under section 319(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act after one year of permanent residence as the spouse of a U.S. citizen serving in qualifying employment abroad. Other applicants apply through military service, asylum, or refugee status with different timelines. The arrival date also bears on the 50/20, 55/15, and 65/20 testing accommodations, which require length of permanent residence rather than total presence.

Applicants should bring their passport(s), entry visa, I-94 record, Permanent Resident Card, and any adjustment of status documents (I-485 approval notice, I-551 stamp). The applicant should be able to give the date in English, including saying numbers and months clearly. Applicants who are unsure of exact dates can give approximate ranges and explain to the officer that they will provide documentation.

Lying about the date of arrival or any related immigration history is a serious offense that can lead to denial of citizenship, revocation of permanent resident status, and even criminal prosecution for immigration fraud. Applicants should be especially careful about any prior periods of unlawful presence, illegal entries, or use of fraudulent documents; these may not necessarily prevent citizenship but should be disclosed and discussed with an immigration attorney before applying. The officer has access to the full immigration history through internal databases. Honesty is the best policy, even about uncomfortable or complicated history.