USCIS reinforces neighborhood investigations for citizenship

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reinforced its use of neighborhood investigations as part of the naturalization adjudication process. A revised policy memorandum, issued on August 25, 2026, formalizes these personal inquiries to help officers verify information provided in N-400 applications.

These investigations allow officers to gather information beyond submitted documents by contacting neighbors, landlords, employers, colleagues, or business partners. The goal is to assess an applicant’s residence, professional history, community reputation, and good moral character. The inquiries typically cover at least the five years preceding the application.

These checks are discretionary and are not expected to be applied automatically to every citizenship applicant. The move follows a 2025 decision by USCIS to end a decades-long general waiver of such investigations.