Tagged #n-400
Every article we've published on this topic, sorted by the agency's own announcement date.
USCIS Policy Alert on Investigations and Examinations for Naturalization Eligibility
USCIS formalizes neighborhood investigations for naturalization applicants in updated Policy Manual. New guidance on investigations under INA 335(a) and examinations under INA 335(b).
Trump Administration Tightens Citizenship Standards, Increases Denaturalization Enforcement
USCIS has made naturalization harder—raising fees, stiffening civics tests, and denying applications at record rates. The DOJ is aggressively pursuing denaturalization cases. What practitioners need to know.
DHS Proposes Major Hike in Naturalization Fees and Elimination of Waivers
Trump administration proposes raising N-400 citizenship application fees by 75% and eliminating fee waivers for low-income applicants. New rule is open for public comment through August 2026.
USCIS Halts Immigration Approvals Pending Enhanced FBI Background Checks
Starting April 27, 2026, USCIS paused approvals for thousands of pending fingerprint-based cases to resubmit biometrics through expanded FBI criminal databases. Learn what changed, who is affected, and next steps.
USCIS Implements 2025 Naturalization Civics Test—New Standards Effective Oct. 20
USCIS published a Federal Register notice implementing a revised naturalization civics test effective Oct. 20, 2025. The new test has 20 questions from a 128-question pool; applicants must answer 12 correctly to pass. Practitioners must advise clients on filing deadlines to avoid the harder exam.
USCIS Updates Good Moral Character Standards and Ideological Vetting for Naturalization
USCIS issued a policy memo in August 2025 reshaping how officers evaluate good moral character for naturalization applicants, emphasizing positive community contributions and adding new ideological screening.
USCIS Reinstates Neighborhood Investigations for Naturalization Applicants
USCIS policy memo ending the decades-old waiver of neighborhood checks for citizenship applicants. Officers will now investigate neighbors and employment history, requiring applicants to submit testimonial letters proactively.
USCIS Shifts to Holistic Good Moral Character Review in Naturalization Cases
New USCIS policy memorandum PM-602-0188 requires officers to evaluate naturalization applicants' positive contributions and full history, not just absence of disqualifications.
N-400 English and Civics Test: The 50/20 and 55/15 Exceptions, the 65/20 Special Consideration, and the N-648 Medical Disability Waiver
Three statutory exemptions reshape the N-400 testing burden for older or disabled applicants. Here is what each requires and how the N-648 actually gets adjudicated.
N-400 Good Moral Character: The INA §101(f) Bars and the Statutory-Period Look-Back
Good moral character is not a vibe — it is a statutory test with permanent bars, conditional bars, and a five-year look-back. Here is what USCIS actually reviews on the N-400.
N-400 Physical Presence: The Half-of-the-Statutory-Period Rule and How USCIS Actually Counts
Physical presence is not continuous residence — it counts days inside U.S. borders. Here's how to compute the 30 (or 18) months and avoid the most common arithmetic mistakes.
N-400 Naturalization: The Five-Year Rule, the Three-Year Spousal Exception, and Continuous Residence
What the 5-year LPR clock and the 3-year spouse-of-citizen exception actually require, and how 'continuous residence' breaks when you leave the country for too long.