Proving your achievements or good character can help your U.S. immigration application go through. Most people desiring to be U.S. citizens often wonder how they can prove they are good people during the application process. It is also challenging for most immigrants to prove good moral character when facing deportation. Many foreign nationals gather evidence of accomplishments and good character to prove their eligibility. You must provide relevant evidence to the immigration court or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Proving good moral character is crucial in most immigration cases, although it is not mandatory in some situations. Sometimes, presenting the evidence of your accomplishments to the immigration officer cannot affect your application. You should seek the help of an immigration attorney to prove good moral character during an immigration application.
Good Moral Character Under Immigration Law
Good moral character means you have never been charged with a criminal offense and fulfill your community obligations according to the law. Under the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part F, Chapter 1, good character is measured by the standards in which you live. This is the common approach used by the USCIS in most immigration cases. It is even better for you to show positive acts like:
- Volunteering in your community
- Helping your family, and
- Being a productive member of the community
Good Character As A Requirement For A U.S. Immigration Application
For starters, you can be eligible for a certain immigration status even if you are in the U.S. illegally. For example, you can qualify for a U visa or self-petition for a green card under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) if you are a victim of an offense. You should provide evidence of good moral character for ten years if you face an immigration court trial and seek a cancellation of removal.
You can qualify for a family-based green card whether you are in the U.S. legally or illegally. A family-based green card requires forgiveness or a waiver of inadmissibility for your illegal period in the U.S. However, you must show that you have good character. If you apply for a U visa, you must prove to the USCIS that your permanent residence application is justified on public interest grounds.
Signs Of Lack Of Good Moral Character
The immigration courts and USCIS consider certain acts as ‘’moral turpitude’’ offenses or CIMT. You will be deemed to lack good character if you are convicted or admit to having committed any of these offenses. It can lead to deportation or removal, even with a green card. You could face the following immigration issues if you are convicted of a ‘’crime of moral turpitude’’:
- If you are a green card holder, you cannot apply for naturalized U.S. citizenship if the immigration court convicts you of a crime of moral turpitude.
- Even if you have a U.S. visa or green card, you could be deported from the United States if you commit a crime of moral turpitude.
- You could be unable to apply for a green card or visa if you are convicted of a crime of moral turpitude.
The court will consider you to be lacking good character if you engage in perjury, prostitution, gambling, or commit drug offenses. Sometimes, it can be challenging for the USCIS or immigration court to determine whether you have a record of bad character. Sometimes, you can qualify for a cancellation of removal even if you have a misconduct record. You only need to prove that you have reformed.
Things that do not meet your personal standards or those that you feel bad about cannot disqualify you from an immigration application. For example, being convicted of a minor misdemeanor or violating a traffic law will not disqualify you from an immigration benefit. Contact a skilled immigration attorney if you have concerns or are unsure whether you can prove good moral character.
Immigration Application And The Period Of Good Moral Character
You must prove that you have had good character for a specific period, depending on the case or immigration application you are making. A deportation trial is often a risky affair for undocumented immigrants, but it can give you a chance to apply for cancellation of removal. This can happen if you comply with specific terms. You can have the best defense if you have stayed in the U.S. without proper immigration status for a long time and are facing a removal trial. The law allows you to apply for a green card and ‘’Non-LPR Cancellation of Removal. This form of relief has the following conditions that can protect you from deportation:
- The court has not convicted you of certain offenses or has not violated specific laws
- Showing that you have good moral character and have maintained this status for at least ten years
- Your deportation will cause extreme and exceptional hardship to your eligible relatives who are legally permanent citizens
- You have been staying in the United States for at least ten years
The Requirement Of Maintaining Good Moral Character For Ten Years
Your application for non-LPR cancellation will be rejected if the immigration judge establishes that you have not observed good character for ten years. You should count backwards from the judge’s ruling in your case. The importance of proving good moral character is that you can show evidence of:
- Commitment to family
- Steady job
- Volunteer work, and
- Rehabilitation after any offense
The above evidence can outweigh the negative factors in your cancellation application.
Sometimes, the judge can rule that you do not have good moral character in cases where the law considers any offense a sign of a lack of good character. This includes being a ‘’habitual drunkard. The same applies when the judge rules that other ‘’discretionary factors’’ show that you are not a good person.
You will not be allowed to prove your good moral character if you have been convicted of an aggravated felony or murder after November 29, 1990. The court can also reject your immigration application if you have engaged in the following:
- Severe violations of religious freedom
- Torture
- Genocide, and
- Persecution
Your application for non-LPR cancellation can also be rejected even if you committed the above more than ten years ago. However, you can consult an immigration attorney if you think some factors can hinder your eligibility for non-LPR cancellation.
Requirement Of ‘’Exceptional And Extremely Unusual Hardship’’
You could face hardships if you are deported from the U.S. However, you can qualify for non-LPR cancellation if your relatives in the U.S will face ‘’exceptional and extremely unusual’’ hardship after your deportation.
You cannot be granted non-LPR cancellation for only showing that your LPR relatives will suffer physically, emotionally, and financially. The law requires you to prove that your LPR relatives will suffer severely if you are deported. For example, you can provide evidence of your child’s severe illness and lack of proper medication in your home country. You can also provide the following evidence:
- Lack of support structures in your country of origin
- Staying in the United States for a long time
The Requirement Of The ‘’Qualifying Relative’’
Your immigrant application can go through if your spouse or child has lawfully acquired permanent residence in the United States. You should check the meaning of a child under I.N.A. Section 101(b) if you are relying on your child. According to this law, a child must be under 21 years old and unmarried. Sadly, you will be required to go through the immigration court trial before your child turns 21.
The Requirement Of Ten Years As A Resident Of the U.S.
You only qualify for non-LPR cancellation if you provide evidence that you have been in the United States for ten years or more. The ten years are counted from the day you arrived in the U.S. Absence from the U.S. for more than 90 days or 180 days could disqualify you from securing a non-LPR cancellation. However, this provision does not apply to those who have completed two years of active service in the U.S armed forces.
Your ten-year count will stop if you are served a Notice to Appear (NTA) in immigration court for a removal trial. The count will also stop if you are accused of committing certain offenses or leave the U.S. on a voluntary departure order.
Your written declarations and testimonials from relatives or friends can prove your ten-year residence. In court, you can also present any relevant documentary evidence of your U.S. residence, like pay stubs, credit card statements, and rent receipts.
The Benefit Of Good Moral Character In Naturalization Application
You must show good moral character to pursue naturalized U.S. citizenship. Previously, your naturalization application could go through by showing the absence of negative factors like:
- No failure to pay taxes
- No failure to pay child support, and
- No criminal record
However, USCIS changed this policy in August 2025, requiring more affirmative evidence of good moral character. According to USCIS, naturalization is a significant legal transformation that demands character and allegiance when assimilating into the U.S. You must show sustained community contributions and involvement in the United States. The USCIS policy memo 602-0188 and 602-0189 highlights the following signs of good moral character:
- Taking financial responsibilities in the United States, including repayment of all overpayment benefits like SSI and overdue child support payments, or other family obligations
- Period of legal stay in the United States
- Legal and stable employment record and achievements
- Educational attainment
- Family caregiving, ties, and responsibility in the United States
Unlike in the past, USCIS, through its August 2025 memo, commits itself to dealing with negative behaviors more harshly. Actions inconsistent with civic responsibility within the community, like aggressive solicitation, harassment, or habitual traffic infractions, will not be tolerated.
During your application, you must attach proof of good moral character to your Form N-400 application. You will require testimonials from the following people to affirmatively prove good moral character:
- Work leaders
- Educational experts
- Religious leaders
- Friends
- Personal contacts who are in the community
However, immigration attorneys have raised concerns about the two policy memos. The attorneys argue that:
- The memos will create uncertainty because officers now have substantial discretion to deny or approve applications based on vague standards
- The memos will increase filing costs because cases take more officer time
- The memos will slow down the naturalization application with more investigations and paperwork
The Return Of Personal Investigations
Memo 602-0189 recommends the return of workplace and neighborhood checks. According to this memo, an immigration officer will do the following:
- Call your coworkers or employer
- Inquiry from your neighbors about your character
- Visit your home
The above checks can appear unnecessary for most applicants because fingerprints and criminal background checks exist. However, according to this new law, USCIS claims that personal investigations help verify ‘’real-world reputation.
However, most foreign nationals have raised concerns about the new policy. They claim the following:
- Personal bias influences what others say about you
- Your employer is becoming uncomfortable after knowing your status
- Having unfriendly or racist neighbors
Most immigration attorneys request that immigrants be proactive in gathering testimonial letters and references.
When Proving Good Character or Showing Personal Achievements Is Not Necessary
Sometimes, you are not required to show good moral character to secure an immigration benefit. Listing your achievements can also hurt your immigration application. For example, you can decide to show significant mental abuse to secure a U visa. Evidence showing substantial accomplishments at the time you suffered mental abuse can affect your immigration application. You will appear contradictory to the U.S. immigration authorities if you were working normally when you were expected to be under tremendous stress.
Similarly, you can attempt to apply for immigration after a one-year deadline. Showing that you were away, engaged in productive duty, can negatively affect your immigration application. You can request the exception by proving that you were prevented from taking action on an immigration application for reasons beyond your reach.
Proving good moral character is not a requirement to secure immigration or to avoid a removal case. Immigration or withholding of removal cases are often complicated to prepare and present. You do not need to use your resources and valuable time to gather extensive evidence of good moral character in preparing an immigration case. Instead, concentrate on gathering evidence that will be valuable to your case. Often, the focus will be on the circumstances you will face in your home country instead of good moral character. However, asylum is a discretionary decision. The immigration court can deny you if you commit certain evil acts, such as persecution of others. You should be careful to avoid their effect on your immigration application.
The Impact Of Misrepresentation On Your Immigration Application
The common reason why USCIS rejects a naturalization application is misrepresentation. Giving misleading information or leaving out crucial facts during interviews or in written forms can be a red flag. This can attract fraud charges because USCIS takes misleading information seriously, particularly if:
- They are associated with legal status
- They are associated with employment authorization
- They are associated with immigration benefits
You will be considered to lack good moral character if you commit minor errors that appear deceptive. If you previously gave misleading information to immigrant officials, you should address it truthfully and explain when applying.
Common Immigration Application Mistakes You Should Avoid
Your naturalization application can be delayed or rejected if it is poorly prepared, even if you have clean records. Errors can raise unnecessary concerns, resulting in requests for sufficient evidence or outright denial. You should be careful about the following errors:
- Providing inconsistent information. Conflicts between your past immigration records and your current application can raise red flags.
- Omitting travel history — Failing to report the period you have been outside the U.S. can negatively affect your residency requirement.
- Failing to give the list of dependents or past marriages. You will be considered dishonest if you provide misleading family records.
- Leaving out previous arrests or citations. You should disclose even dismissed charges.
Additionally, most foreign nationals overlook expunged or sealed records. USCIS demands that you report all arrests and convictions, including those expunged. Immigration law often assesses behavior based on facts, not the current legal status of the record. An expunged conviction can still affect a finding of good moral character, particularly if it involves theft or violence.
Find An Experienced Immigration Attorney Near Me
There is much more than filling out forms when making an immigration application. Some situations require you to prove good moral character, while others do not. You should seek legal guidance from an experienced immigration attorney to help you present a convincing case before the immigration authorities. An attorney will evaluate your situation, gather relevant evidence, and help you package and present your application. You must prepare adequately for all the in-person engagements or court appearances before the immigration officials or the USCIS. For legal guidance on proving good moral character and situations where you do not need to establish good moral character, contact the California Immigration Attorney. Call us today at 424-789-8809 to speak to one of our attorneys.