USCIS has issued policy guidance in the Policy Manual to further assess and corroborate the eligibility of aliens applying for naturalization, reintroducing personal investigations under section 335(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and reinforcing validation of applicant information and documentation as part of the naturalization examination under INA 335(b). Policy Alert PA-2026-10, issued August 25, 2026, updates Volume 12 of the USCIS Policy Manual. This formalizes a practice that USCIS had announced in August 2025 but now incorporates into standing policy instructions.
What changed
The guidance places personal investigations—commonly called neighborhood investigations—into the agency’s standing naturalization instructions. The policy retitles former Part B (Naturalization Examination) as Part B (Investigation and Examination of Alien).
In August 2026, USCIS updated its Policy Manual to formally incorporate neighborhood investigations into the naturalization process, building on USCIS’s August 2025 memorandum which ended the agency’s longstanding general waiver of neighborhood investigations and resumed discretionary reviews under INA 335(a).
These investigations allow USCIS to verify an applicant’s eligibility for naturalization by conducting investigations into an applicant’s residence, employment, and reputation in the community. The general waiver had been in place since 1991.
The guidance reintroduces personal investigations, also known as neighborhood investigations, under section 335(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and reinforces the need to validate the alien’s information and documentation as part of the naturalization examination under INA 335(b).
Why it matters
Neighborhood investigations—now formally codified in policy—will change how you advise naturalization clients and how you approach N-400 preparation. USCIS has ended its general waiver of neighborhood checks and will now review naturalization applicants case by case under INA 335(a).
The personal investigations include interviewing a naturalization applicant’s neighbors and employment history stretching back at least five years before an individual applied for naturalization. The investigations assess key requirements including continuous residence, good moral character, attachment to the Constitution, and disposition to the good order and happiness of the United States. USCIS may issue Requests for Evidence to provide testimonial letters from neighbors, employers, or colleagues who know the applicant and can speak to their eligibility for naturalization.
This formalizes what was previously exercised only under discretionary review. Practitioners should expect that applicants may now face neighborhood investigations as part of routine adjudication, not merely in isolated cases.
Way forward
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Advise applicants proactively. USCIS suggests that applicants may wish to proactively submit evidence to the agency to inform case-by-case decisions on whether to conduct an investigation. This allows you to shape the narrative around residence, good moral character, and community ties before officers knock on neighbors’ doors.
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Gather evidence of favorable ties and reputation. Before USCIS initiates a neighborhood investigation, collect affidavits, reference letters, and employment records documenting the applicant’s stability, character, and community standing.
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Prepare applicants for community contact. Brief your clients that USCIS may reach out to their neighbors, employers, and associates. Discuss what factual matters the applicant should be prepared to address.
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Monitor the Policy Manual. The policy reaffirms that USCIS examines all factors relating to the alien’s eligibility for naturalization and confirms information provided by the applicant through documents, information obtained during the investigation or testimony at the interview. Review the full policy updates at https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/updates.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The Immigration Reform Law Institute is a software company, not a law firm. You should consult with a licensed immigration attorney regarding your specific situation. USCIS policy can change without notice; always verify guidance against the primary source linked above and applicable law.