What is The ‘Good Moral Character’ Test for U.S. Citizenship Applicants?

The USCIS under the Trump Administration is making the citizenship criteria more and more stringent. Now, it has a new addition: the dimension of the applicant’s moral character. USCIS officers will also screen the applicant for their views to discern whether they harbour any ‘anti-American’ views or intent. This policy has been issued in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on last Friday. It aims to effectively direct the USCIS to conduct a more extensive screening to determine whether the applicants harbour any anti-U.S. sentiment. As an EB-1A green card consultancy, we are always trying to stay updated on the current visa landscape. Here, we have presented a complete analysis of this new policy and what it could mean for the aspirants.

The policy in the context

USCIS has professed on Tuesday in a statement that it would screen more and more for ‘Anti-Americanism’ and, in particular, ‘anti-semitic ideologies’. This surveillance will unfold in a twofold manner of surveilling the social media and as well as considering the immigration applications. This feature would apply both to prospective citizens and visa applicants.

USCIS chief spokesperson Matthew Tragesser has commented, ‘America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies.’

This latest move of the Trump Administration has appeared in the context of many other policy revisions. We have covered these ongoing revisions here. We strongly recommend that you go through all these recent transformations if you are preparing for your own green card journey.

What exactly is meant by ‘good moral character’?

The ‘good moral character’ has surfaced as an important requirement for naturalization applicants. However, it is not merely an absence of ‘Past criminal records’ or ‘Disqualifying conduct’. Previously, it included ‘permanent bars’ like murders, aggravated felonies, and conditional bars like having multiple convictions of driving under the influence, and others.

However, now the policy is getting spruced up with yet another element. Tragesser remarked, ‘USCIS is adding a new element to the naturalization process that ensures America’s newest citizens not only embrace culture, history, and language but who also demonstrate a good moral character.’

The idea of a ‘good moral character’ may seem vague here. So, here, we will do our best to highlight what we can understand from it. Under the new policy, USCIS seems to be expanding the standard beyond just avoiding wrongdoing. Officers must now take a holistic approach. They will actively evaluate whether the applicants’ character aligns with that of average citizens in their community.

This includes looking at positive factors such as:

• Community involvement and contributions
• Family caregiving and strong U.S. ties
• Education and career achievements
• Stable legal employment and length of lawful residence
• Compliance with U.S. tax obligations

At the same time, USCIS officers may consider negative factors, including not only criminal acts but also lawful but socially questionable behaviors that might contradict community norms.

Applicants with past issues can still demonstrate rehabilitation through actions like paying overdue taxes, following court orders, or other corrective efforts.

In other words, the policy shifts from a narrow focus on crime to a broader assessment of overall character, values, and inclusion into U.S. society.

Who will have to comply with this policy?

The moral character test is usually taken by the green card holders when they seek naturalized American citizenship. To apply for naturalized American citizenship, you need to stay in the U.S. for at least 3 to 5 years. Aside from the ‘Good moral character’, applicants also need to pass the English and civics tests. So, if you are a green card aspirant, you need to undergo this test.

At GCEB1, we offer dedicated EB-1A mentorship for industry experts and specialists with extraordinary contributions. With the revisions in the policy, we are also providing mentorships for your digital social media and website optimization to align them with your visa goal. Get in touch with us to bypass all this bureaucratic red tape with ease and succeed with your visa goals.