The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a new policy memorandum to tighten “Good Moral Character” standards for U.S. citizenship, effective immediately. The memorandum is titled, “Restoring a Rigorous, Holistic, and Comprehensive Good Moral Character Evaluation Standard for Aliens Applying for Naturalization.”
This new policy aims to shift the “Good Moral Character” (GMC) evaluation for naturalization applicants away from a simple checklist approach and back to a comprehensive, “totality of circumstances” assessment. USCIS views the evaluation of naturalization applicants as its “most sacred and profound responsibility.” The memorandum states that becoming a U.S. citizen involves more than just having the right to live and work in the country; it means being an active and responsible member of society.
This new guidance requires USCIS officers to go beyond simply checking for the absence of wrongdoing. The policy instructs officers to conduct a holistic review of an applicant’s behavior, their adherence to societal norms, and their positive contributions to their community.
The standard of proof remains the “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning applicants must demonstrate that it is “more likely than not” that they have met all naturalization requirements, including GMC. The policy emphasizes that a GMC finding must be a “genuine positive assessment” of who the applicant is and how they have lived within their community.
The updated policy places greater emphasis on both positive attributes and disqualifying behaviors. Positive factors that will be given more weight include sustained community involvement, family caregiving, educational attainment, a stable employment history, and compliance with tax obligations.
At the same time, USCIS officers will apply greater scrutiny to a range of behaviors that may disqualify an applicant. While permanent bars to GMC, such as murder or aggravated felonies, still apply, the policy also highlights conditional bars, such as multiple DUI convictions, drug violations, or a false claim to U.S. citizenship.
The policy introduces greater scrutiny for actions that, while technically lawful, may be inconsistent with civic responsibility, such as reckless or habitual traffic infractions, harassment, or aggressive solicitation.
For applicants who have engaged in wrongdoing, the policy also focuses on evidence of “rehabilitation and reformation.” Consistent with the “totality of circumstances” approach, evidence of genuine rehabilitation can support a finding of GMC.
This includes actions such as rectifying overdue child support, complying with court-imposed conditions like probation, receiving community testimony from credible sources, and repaying overdue taxes or benefit overpayments. This new approach empowers USCIS officers to review an applicant’s “complete history” and requires them to present their “full story” to demonstrate their life is consistent with the ethical standards and expectations of their community.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
