N-400 Character Letters and Neighborhood Investigations

Immigration · 6 November 2026

Older citizenship guides will not tell you this, but USCIS may now talk to your neighbors. In a policy alert dated August 25, 2026, USCIS reintroduced personal investigations of naturalization applicants, known as neighborhood investigations, and set out what character letters should contain. Anyone preparing a Form N-400 now should understand both.

What USCIS changed

The USCIS Policy Manual now says that, unless it is waived, a neighborhood investigation applies to naturalization applicants generally. The authority is section 335(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The investigation is usually finished before the citizenship interview, but an officer can request one at any time before the Oath of Allegiance.

A waiver is at USCIS’s discretion. The agency can decide that one is appropriate based on what is already in the file, and the Policy Manual says that sufficient character reference letters can support that decision. It also looks at whether the applicant failed to respond to a request for more evidence. Applicants filing through U.S. military service receive consideration for that service.

Who investigators may talk to

Investigators look for people who know you personally or are acquainted with you. The Policy Manual organizes them by where they know you from:

• Near your home: neighbors, landlords, employees and owners at local businesses, and home association representatives.
• Near your job: supervisors, managers, coworkers and office staff.
• If you run a business: partners, associates, employees, clients, customers and contractors.

If your housing has not been stable, investigators may review shelter or social service records instead of speaking with neighbors. Witnesses are expected to keep to what they personally know, not speculation or hearsay.

What they ask about

The topics are broad: family status, employment and unemployment, finances, education, reputation, criminal history, military service, travel, where you have lived, credibility, and attachment to the United States. In practice the investigation is a way of checking your application against the real world. Investigators verify your residence history, your ties to the community and your employment, including where you worked, for whom and for how long, and whether you meet the continuous residence and good moral character requirements.

How far back it goes

The investigation covers at least the five years immediately before you file the N-400. For spouses of U.S. citizens applying under the three-year rule and for certain military applicants, USCIS may look at a shorter period in the United States where that is appropriate. It may also go back further than five years, or look at activity outside the United States, when necessary.

Character letters: what USCIS wants to see

Letters of recommendation are optional. The Policy Manual recommends submitting at least two with the N-400, because they can help USCIS decide whether to waive the investigation. They should preferably come from U.S. citizens who know you personally, such as neighbors, employers, coworkers or business associates. USCIS does not consider letters from your immediate family or relatives.

Each letter should include:

• The writer’s full name, address, phone number and email.
• Documentation of the writer’s U.S. citizenship or immigration status.
• How the writer knows you and for how long.
• Specific examples of your honesty and your involvement in the community.
• A clear statement of the writer’s opinion of your moral character and your attitude toward the United States and its Constitution.

Officers weigh how credible, detailed and relevant a letter is. A short note saying that you are a good person adds little. A neighbor who describes ten years of living next door and gives real examples adds a great deal.

What if you do not send letters?

Not sending letters does not, by itself, justify a finding that you lack good moral character. But the Policy Manual adds that failing or refusing to provide letters may contribute to a decision to carry out an investigation. If USCIS asks for them, respond.

If an investigation turns up something negative

USCIS cannot deny an application on derogatory information without telling you first. It must give you sufficient notice of that information and an opportunity to refute it. Take any such notice seriously and answer it on time.

The stakes can be higher than a denial. Under a February 2025 policy memo, USCIS generally issues a Notice to Appear after denying an application when the person is removable. If you receive one, see our page on deportation and removal defense.

What we suggest before you file

None of this is a USCIS rule. It is how we would approach a case now that an investigation is a real possibility.

• Make sure the addresses and employers on your N-400 are complete and accurate, because those are the facts an investigator will check.
• Ask for letters early, and choose people who can give real examples. Two detailed letters are worth more than five vague ones.
• Let each writer use their own words. Letters that all read the same undermine each other.
• If you are self-employed, think about which clients or business contacts know you well.
• If you have moved often, or have gone through a period without stable housing, say so at the start so that it can be documented properly.
• Review your whole record before filing, including trips abroad and any arrest, however old.

How Michelotti & Associates can help

Michelotti & Associates helps permanent residents across Chicagoland decide when to file, prepare the N-400 and the evidence behind it, and choose who should write. Our citizenship and naturalization page covers who can apply, trips abroad, the 2025 civics test and what happens if an application is denied. En español, vea nuestra página de ciudadanía.

The office is in Oak Brook, and consultations are also available by video.

This article is general information about USCIS policy as of November 6, 2026, not legal advice about your situation. This policy is new, and how it is applied may change.

This article is general information, not legal advice about your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship.