Before the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was formed in March 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) oversaw the immigration process and activities. And one of their functions was to conduct a neighborhood investigation for an individual applying for naturalization. They spoke with the applicant’s neighbors, employer and community leaders to assess if the applicant possessed good moral character.
The INS effectively stopped doing this in 1991 in favor of digital information and databases for verification. However, after more than three decades of the practice not being in use, the current administration reinstated it in August 2025.
Here is what to know about it if you are applying for naturalization:
How are the investigations conducted?
The neighborhood investigation includes your place of residence and employment for the five years preceding your naturalization application. The USCIS may visit the neighborhoods you lived in and your workplaces, interviewing neighbors, employers and community members. Or it may ask you to submit testimonial letters from neighbors, employers, co-workers and business associates who know you and can provide substantiated information.
Upon reviewing an applicant’s testimonial letters and other documents, such as proof of residence and community involvement, the USCIS can determine whether a waiver of a neighborhood investigation is appropriate. Thus, it decides on a case-by-case basis whether or not to conduct a neighborhood check. The Secretary of Homeland Security is the one with the authority to waive an investigation.
What should you do as an applicant?
Proactively providing evidence along with the required documentation when submitting your application for naturalization can increase the likelihood of the USCIS avoiding an in-person neighborhood investigation. You should not wait for the department to send requests for evidence. Consider legal guidance to know the documents to submit.