US To Scrutinise Green Card Holders' Family Support And Fraud Systems For Citizenship
Applicants for naturalisation must demonstrate good moral character: USCIS
HYDERABAD: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced guidelines for stricter assessment in the financial conduct of green card holders seeking American citizenship. Officials are set to examine their use of public benefits, family support obligations and financial commitments made while sponsoring relatives during the screening process.
Through a policy memorandum, USCIS said that applicants for naturalisation must demonstrate good moral character, and that failure to meet certain financial responsibilities could count against them in their citizenship application.
Under the new guidance, immigration officers will examine whether applicants have deliberately failed to support their dependents, obtained government benefits through fraud or helped their dependents unlawfully claim such assistance. Officers will also check whether applicants have fulfilled financial commitments made under sponsorship agreements.
The policy also introduces scrutiny of immigrants who deliberately reduce their working hours or earnings to remain eligible for means-tested public benefits, rather than making efforts to become financially self-sufficient.
However, USCIS clarified that legally, receiving government benefits would not automatically prevent someone from obtaining citizenship. Officers must assess each case individually, considering the reasons for receiving assistance, efforts towards financial independence and other positive contributions to society. Poverty or disability alone cannot be grounds for an adverse finding.
The guidelines also cover green card holders who sponsored relatives through Form I-864, an Affidavit of Support, and failed to fulfil their financial obligations. Such conduct could negatively affect their good moral character assessment.
USCIS said it would introduce further guidance for immigration officers and revise Form N-400, the naturalisation application, to collect additional information about public benefit use and support of dependents.
