If you are a green card holder planning to apply for U.S. citizenship, this matters to you. On November 4, 2026, USCIS issued policy memo PM-602-0201, which tells its officers how to review “good moral character” in citizenship applications (Form N-400). The memo focuses on three areas: whether you support your children and other dependents, whether you met your obligations as a sponsor for a relative, and how you used public benefits. It is not a new law, but it does change what you may be asked at your interview.
What is good moral character?
To become a citizen, you must show good moral character for a set period: generally the 5 years before you file Form N-400, or 3 years if you are married to a U.S. citizen and file under that rule. That conduct must continue until the day you take the oath. USCIS can also look at older conduct if it believes your behavior has not changed.
What changed?
The memo does not create new legal requirements. It tells officers to look more closely at three situations, and it announces two next steps: USCIS will write new sections of its Policy Manual, and it will revise Form N-400 to ask about public benefit use and about supporting your dependents. According to the memo, once that guidance is published, officers will question and closely examine citizenship applicants. The memo gives no dates for these changes.
What if I don’t support my children?
If you willfully fail to support your dependents during the period under review, USCIS may find that you lack good moral character, unless you show circumstances that explain it. The memo gives three examples: abandoning a minor child, paying no support at all, or paying a clearly insufficient amount compared to a court order or, if there is no order, to what is expected in your community.
Two important details:
- It applies even if there is no court order for child support.
- Support for children who live outside the United States also counts.
In addition, depending on the circumstances, your dependents receiving public benefits may be treated as a sign that you are not supporting them. The memo makes clear that this does not automatically bar citizenship.
What if I sponsored a relative (I-864)?
If you signed Form I-864 or I-864EZ so your spouse, parents or another relative could get a green card, you agreed to support them at an income of at least 125% of the federal poverty line for as long as that obligation lasts. The same applies to a household member who signed Form I-864A. If you did not meet that obligation, especially if your relative received public benefits, the officer may count it against you when you apply for citizenship. The memo also covers people who signed Form I-134 or I-134A.
The memo recognizes that because the income limits for some benefits are higher than the I-864 standard, a sponsor may have met the obligation even if the relative receives a benefit.
Does receiving public benefits keep me from becoming a citizen?
No. Lawfully receiving public benefits does not, by itself, keep you from becoming a citizen. What does count against you is fraud or deception, even if you were never charged. The memo gives examples:
- Giving false information about your income or household size.
- Receiving a benefit you were not eligible for.
- Not reporting changes that ended your eligibility, such as long trips outside the country.
- Using more than one identity.
It also describes conduct that may be legal and still count against you: quitting work or cutting your hours on purpose to keep qualifying for a benefit, without a legitimate personal or medical reason. The memo says this is decided case by case, never as an automatic denial, and cannot be based on poverty, disability or lawful benefit use.
What we recommend
- Before filing Form N-400, review the last 5 years (or 3 if you are married to a U.S. citizen): child support, sponsorships and benefits.
- Gather proof that you support your children: the court order if there is one, receipts, transfers and payments, including those you send abroad.
- If you signed Form I-864 or I-864A, keep proof of the support you provided while the obligation was in effect.
- If you received benefits, make sure your applications were truthful and that you reported changes. Keep those records handy.
- If anything is unclear, get advice before you file. As Fernanda puts it, at this point in history, she always goes with the most conservative option.
Need help?
If you plan to apply for citizenship and have questions about child support, a sponsorship or public benefits, schedule a consultation with our San Antonio office. We review your history before you file and tell you, with the worst-case scenario, what risks we see and how to prepare.
This article is general information and is not legal advice for your case. Fernanda Inegol, Barba Inegol Law Firm PLLC.
Sources: USCIS: Policy Memo PM-602-0201, Good Moral Character Determination: Failure to Support Dependents, Public Benefits, and Sponsorship through Affidavit or Declaration of Support, November 4, 2026 (PDF) · USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part F, Ch. 2 (5-year period, or 3 years for certain spouses of U.S. citizens)