Application to File Declaration of Intention

OMB No. 1615-0078; Expires 08/31/2011

Instructions for N-300, Application to
File Declaration of Intention

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Instructions
Please read these instructions carefully to properly complete this form. If you need more space to complete an answer, use a
separate sheet(s) of paper. Write your name and Alien Registration Number (A #), if any, at the top of each sheet of paper
and indicate the section and number of the item to which the answer refers.

What Is the Purpose of This Form?
This form is for a permanent resident to apply for a
Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United
States. A Declaration of Intention is not required for
naturalization, but may be required by some States if you wish
to engage in certain occupations or professions, or obtain
various licenses.

Who May File This Application?
If you are a lawful permanent resident over the age of 18
years, you may apply for a Declaration of Intention. You must
be in the United States when you file this application.

What Initial Evidence Must Be Submitted?
After ensuring that the personal information required on all 3
pages of the application is complete, you must file your
application with:
A copy of your Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) or
other evidence that you are a lawful permanent resident.

Photographs
You must submit two identical color photographs of yourself
taken within 30 days of the filing of this application. The
photos must have a white to off-white background, be printed
on thin paper with a glossy finish, and be unmounted and
unretouched.
Passport-style photos must be 2" x 2". The photos must be in
color with full face, frontal view on a white to off-white
background. Head height should measure 1" to 1 3/8" from top
of hair to bottom of chin, and eye height is between 1 1/8" to 1
3/8" from bottom of photo. Your head must be bare unless you
are wearing a headdress as required by a religious order of
which you are a member. Using pencil or felt pen, lightly
print your name and Alien Receipt Number on the back of the
photo.
NOTE: Because of the current USCIS scanning process, if
a digital photo is submitted, it needs to be produced from
a high resolution camera, which has at least a 3.5 mega
pixel.

Where to File?
File this application at the local office of U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) having jurisdiction over your
place of residence.

What Is the Filing Fee?
The filing fee for the Form N-300 is $250.
Use the following guidelines when you prepare your check or
money order for Form N-300:
1. The check or money order must be drawn on a bank or
other financial institution located in the United States and
must be payable in U.S. currency; and
2. Make the check or money order payable to U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, unless:
A. If you live in Guam and are filing your petition there,
make it payable to Treasurer, Guam.
B. If you live in the U.S. Virgin Islands and are filing your
petition there, make it payable to Commissioner of
Finance of the Virgin Islands.
C. If you live outside the United States, Guam, or the U.S.
Virgin Islands, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or
consulate for instructions on the method of payment.
NOTE: Please spell out U.S. Department of Homeland
Security; do not use the initials "USDHS" or "DHS."
Notice to Those Making Payment by Check. If you send us
a check, it will be converted into an electronic funds transfer
(EFT). This means we will copy your check and use the
account information on it to electronically debit your account
for the amount of the check. The debit from your account will
usually take 24 hours, and will be shown on your regular
account statement.
You will not receive your original check back. We will
destroy your original check, but we will keep a copy of it. If
the EFT cannot be processed for technical reasons, you
authorize us to process the copy in place of your original
check. If the EFT cannot be completed because of insufficient
funds, we may try to make the transfer up to two times.
Form N-300 Instructions (Rev. 11/23/10) Y

How to Check If the Fees Are Correct
The form and biometric fees on this form are current as the the
edition date appearing in the lower right corner of this page.
However, because USCIS fees change periodically, you can
verify if the fees are correct by following one of the steps below:
1. Visit our Web site at www.uscis.gov, select "FORMS," and
check the appropriate fee;
2. Review the Fee Schedule included in your form package, if
you called us to request the form; or
3. Telephone our National Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 and ask for the fee information.
NOTE: If your Form N-300 requires payment of a biometrics
services fee for USCIS to take your fingerprints, photograph,
or signature, you can use the same procedure to obtain the
correct biometrics fee.

Address Changes
If you change your address and you have an application or
petition pending with USCIS, you may change your address
online at www.uscis.gov, click on "Online Change of
Address" and follow the prompts or by completing and
mailing Form AR-11, Alien's Change of Address Card, to:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Change of Address
P.O. Box 7134
London, KY 40742-7134
For commercial overnight or fast freight services only, mail to:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Change of Address
1084-I South Laurel Road
London, KY 40744

Processing Information
Acceptance. Any application that is not signed or accompanied
by the correct fee will be rejected with a notice that the
application is deficient. You may correct the deficiency and
resubmit the application. However, an application is not
considered properly filed until accepted by USCIS.
Initial Processing. Once the application has been accepted, it
will be checked for completeness, including submission of the
required initial evidence. If you do not completely fill out the
form or file it without the required initial evidence, you will not
establish a basis for eligibility and we may deny your application.
Requests for More Information. We may request more
information or evidence, or we may request that you appear at
a USCIS office for an interview. We may also request that
you submit the originals of any copy. We will return these
originals when they are no longer needed.

Decision. The decision on Form N-300 involves a
determination of whether you have established eligibility for
the requested benefit. You will be notified of the decision in
writing.

USCIS Forms and Information
To order USCIS forms, call our toll-free number at 1-800870-3676. You can also get USCIS forms and information on
immigration laws, regulations, and procedures by telephoning
our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or
visiting our Internet Web site at www.uscis.gov.
As an alternative to waiting in line for assistance at your local
USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through
our Internet-based system, InfoPass. To access the system,
visit our Web site. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler
and follow the screen prompts to set up your appointment.
InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that
appears on the screen.

Penalties
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material
fact or submit a false document with this request, we will deny
the benefit you are filing for, and may deny any other
immigration benefit. In addition, you will face severe penalties
provided by law, and may be subject to criminal prosecution.

Privacy Act Notice
We ask for the information on this form, and associated
evidence, to determine if you have established eligibility for
the immigration benefit for which you are filing. Our legal
right to ask for this information can be found in the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. We may
provide this information to other government agencies. Failure
to provide this information, and any requested evidence, may
delay a final decision or result in denial of your Form N-300.

Paperwork Reduction Act
An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information
collection and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated at 45 minutes per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions and
completing and submitting the form. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing
this burden, to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Regulatory Products Division, Office of the Executive
Secretariat, 20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC
20529-2020. OMB No. 1615-0078. Do not mail your
application to this address.
Form N-300 Instructions (Rev. 11/23/10) Y Page 2