What is a neighborhood investigation?

It is a USCIS employee interviewing people who know you, near where you live and work, to learn about your conduct, residence, reputation and community ties. It also helps check what you wrote on your N-400.

Who might be contacted?

The Policy Manual lists neighbors, landlords, employees and owners of local businesses, and home association representatives near your home. At work, it lists supervisors, managers, coworkers or office staff. If you run a business, it lists business partners, associates, employees, clients, customers or contractors.

What will they ask about?

The list includes your family status, social activities and associations, jobs and periods without work, financial obligations, schooling, reputation, criminal history, military service, travel and activities abroad, past and current homes, truthfulness, and your attachment to the United States and the Constitution.

How far back does it go?

At least the five years before you filed. USCIS may look at a shorter period in some cases, such as spouses filing under INA 319 or military applicants under INA 329, or a longer period, including time outside the United States, if necessary.

Yes. USCIS may waive it at its discretion for one case or for classes of cases. It looks at your record and any character letters you send. The Policy Manual says sending at least two letters with your N-400 can help.

What should a character letter include?

The writer’s full name, address, phone number and email, and proof of their U.S. citizenship or immigration status; how they know you and for how long; specific examples of your honesty, integrity and community involvement; and a clear statement about your moral character and your attitude toward the United States and the Constitution. Letters from your immediate family or relatives are not considered.

Do I have to send letters?

No. They are optional. Not sending them may contribute to a decision to investigate, but the lack of letters alone is not a reason to find that you lack good moral character.

I live in a shelter or have no stable address. What happens?

The investigator may review records from shelters or social service agencies, or letters from social workers, shelter managers, community members or employers, instead of talking to neighbors. Confidentiality rules still apply, including for VAWA, T and U cases.

Generally before your interview. But an officer may request an investigation at any time before the Oath of Allegiance, including after the interview, if questions come up.

What if a neighbor says something untrue?

Investigators must limit testimony to what a witness personally knows and check that it is not distorted by prejudice or dislike. If USCIS plans to deny your case based on what it found, it must tell you and give you a chance to respond.

USCIS Brings Back Neighborhood Investigations for Citizenship (2026)

Executive summary

On August 25, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Alert PA-2026-10. It rewrites Volume 12, Part B of the Policy Manual, now titled “Investigation and Examination of Alien.” The guidance took effect immediately and applies to naturalization applications pending on that date or filed after it.

The law, INA 335(a), says USCIS must do a personal investigation of each naturalization applicant where they lived and worked for at least the five years before filing, unless it waives it. The alert says legacy INS had stopped doing these by 1991. USCIS is now ending that general waiver.

A neighborhood investigation means interviewing people who know you, such as neighbors, landlords, local business staff, supervisors, coworkers, business partners or customers. Unless waived, it will generally be done before your naturalization interview.

USCIS may waive the investigation in a single case or for classes of cases. You may send character reference letters, preferably from U.S. citizens who are not family members. The Policy Manual says sending at least two letters with your N-400 can help USCIS decide whether a waiver is appropriate.

The alert also reinforces the examination under INA 335(b). Officers check your residences, jobs, education, family, criminal history and immigration history against documents, investigation results and your interview testimony.

What changed, in plain English

Since about 1991, the government had stopped visiting applicants’ neighborhoods to ask about them. It relied on FBI and other background checks. That is now changing.

When you apply for citizenship, a USCIS employee may now go to the places where you have lived and worked in the last five years. They may ask neighbors, landlords, coworkers or your boss how long you lived or worked there, how you behave in the community, and similar questions. The investigator must say they work for USCIS and explain why they are asking.

USCIS can skip this step. One thing that can help is letters from people who know you well, preferably U.S. citizens who are not your relatives. USCIS does not consider letters from your immediate family or relatives. The letters are optional.

If the investigation finds something negative and USCIS plans to deny your case because of it, USCIS must tell you what it found and give you a chance to respond.

What the policy says

USCIS conducts neighborhood investigations under INA 335(a), ending the general waiver that had been in place since legacy INS stopped them (PA-2026-10).
The investigation covers at least the 5 years before the N-400 was filed, in the vicinity of the applicant’s residences and employment or business. USCIS may cover a shorter or longer period, and may investigate outside the United States if necessary (12 USCIS-PM B.2).
USCIS may waive a neighborhood investigation, at its discretion, in a particular case or classes of cases. USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, with Field Operations, decides whether to conduct or waive it.
Applicants may voluntarily submit testimonial or character reference letters, preferably from U.S. citizens who are not family members. USCIS considers these letters when deciding whether to waive. Failing or refusing to provide letters may contribute to a decision to investigate.
For applicants under INA 328 or INA 329, USCIS will consider service in the U.S. armed forces when deciding whether to waive.
If USCIS intends to deny based on derogatory information from the investigation, it must give the applicant notice and an opportunity to rebut. The absence of reference letters alone does not justify a finding against good moral character.
USCIS examines all factors relating to eligibility and confirms the applicant’s information through documents, investigation results or interview testimony (INA 335(b)).
Effective immediately on August 25, 2026, for applications pending or filed on or after that date.