Applying for Citizenship? Make Sure Your Neighbors Like You
If you’re a permanent resident who’s applying for citizenship, you may want to ensure that your neighbors think highly of you. That’s because the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reinstated neighborhood investigations of an applicant for naturalization.
“These personal investigations, also known as neighborhood investigations, cover the vicinity of an alien’s place of residence and employment and include at least the 5-year period prior to the filing of the alien’s naturalization application,” USCIS states in a policy memorandum, adding that the investigation is to “corroborate an alien’s eligibility for naturalization, which includes scrutiny of an alien’s residency, good moral character, attachment to the U.S. Constitution, and disposition to the good order and happiness of the United States.”
The memo noted that from 1802 to 1981, applicants for naturalization were required to present two witnesses who could testify to their qualifications for citizenship. In 1981, Congress eliminated the requirement for witnesses, partly because an applicant’s character could be better determined by an investigation, including a neighborhood investigation, if necessary. However, by 1991, neighborhood investigations had been stopped. In bringing them back, USCIS indicates that neighborhood investigations may be waived for applicants who provide evidence of their qualification for citizenship such as testimonial letters from neighbors, employers, co-workers, and business associates. If such evidence is not included in an application, USCIS may request it.
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Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? We would love to hear from you about Chai Time. If you have contributions, please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]
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