Karen-Lee Pollak
Immigration AttorneyYou can apply for citizenship now but they will not grant you citizenship until the 829 is approved.
I have been waiting on my I-829 application since April 2019. I completed my five years of residency in June 2022 so was wondering if I can apply for citizenship. I know all the conditions were met on the EB-5 project I invested in, as some of my fellow investors got their I-829 approvals earlier this year. What should be my next step?
You can apply for citizenship now but they will not grant you citizenship until the 829 is approved.
Once your I-829 is approved (and only when it is approved, not pending) you will be eligible to apply for your citizenship.
Your next step is to apply for naturalization.
You can apply for naturalization but as a matter of policy, USCIS will not approve the application until the I-829 is adjudicated.
You should wait until your I-829 petition is approved. After USCIS approves your I-829 petition, you can move forward with your application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.