Short answer: two developments affect green card holders planning to naturalize. First, USCIS can use “neighborhood investigations,” speaking with neighbors, employers, and coworkers to verify an applicant’s residence and character. USCIS resumed the practice in August 2025 and added it to the USCIS Policy Manual on August 25, 2026. Second, DHS has proposed raising the paper N-400 fee from $760 to $1,330.
A neighborhood investigation is not a routine step in every case. It is a discretionary tool used case by case. The fee increase is still only a proposal. As of September 17, 2026, the N-400 fee remains $760 for paper filing and $710 for online filing.
If you have not yet reviewed the eligibility requirements, start with our 2026 guide on how to become a U.S. citizen.
What you will find in this article
- What a neighborhood investigation is and when it may be used
- How the August 2025 and August 2026 USCIS steps differ
- What the proposed N-400 fee increase includes and where it stands
- When filing earlier may make sense
- How to prepare residence and good moral character evidence
Quick overview: naturalization in 2026
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Is every applicant investigated? | No. USCIS uses investigations case by case, as a matter of discretion. |
| Is this new? | It has long been in the law. It was largely unused after 1991 and resumed in August 2025. |
| What changed in 2026? | On August 25, 2026, the practice was added to the USCIS Policy Manual and applies to pending cases too. |
| What is the N-400 fee today? | $760 for paper filing and $710 for online filing. |
| Is the fee increase final? | No. It was proposed on June 23, 2026, and the comment period closed on August 24. |
| What is the proposed fee? | $1,330 for paper filing and $1,280 for online filing. |
What is a neighborhood investigation?
Section 335(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides for a personal investigation of each naturalization applicant. The implementing regulation, 8 CFR 335.1, states that the investigation may include a neighborhood investigation covering the places where the applicant lived and worked for at least the five years before filing. The same regulation allows the investigation to be waived.
For many years, USCIS generally waived these investigations. The practice was largely unused after 1991 and has returned over the past two years.
An investigation may look at:
- Whether the applicant actually lives at the reported address
- Employment history and whether the applicant works where reported
- Good moral character and community reputation
- Attachment to the U.S. Constitution
USCIS may speak with neighbors, employers, coworkers, and business associates.
August 2025 and August 2026: what changed?
August 22, 2025: the practice resumed
USCIS resumed personal investigations of naturalization applicants in policy memorandum PM-602-0189, dated August 22, 2025. The memo ended the general waiver. USCIS now decides case by case whether to conduct an investigation.
Around the same time, a separate memo dated August 15, 2025 announced a more holistic good moral character review that also weighs an applicant’s positive attributes.
August 25, 2026: the practice entered the Policy Manual
In Policy Alert PA-2026-10, dated August 25, 2026, USCIS added this practice to Volume 12 of the Policy Manual, which covers citizenship and naturalization. The update:
- Took effect immediately.
- Applies to N-400 applications pending on August 25, 2026, and to those filed afterward.
- States that investigations may cover residence, employment history, and community reputation.
- Preserves USCIS’s ability to waive an investigation for a single case or a class of cases.
This does not mean every applicant will be investigated. Placing the practice in written guidance gives officers a clearer framework for using it.
How to prepare for a possible investigation
An accurate and consistent application reduces the impact of any investigation. What matters is that the statements on Form N-400 match your documents and your real life.
- List your full address history. Check every address from the past five years, or three years if filing based on marriage, with correct dates.
- Gather residence evidence. Leases, deeds, utility bills, and bank statements support your address history.
- Keep employment history consistent. Employer names, dates, and roles should match your tax records.
- Review your tax returns. Addresses and marital status on tax returns should not conflict with the N-400.
- Document shared life if filing through marriage. A shared address and joint financial records are important.
- Choose reference letters carefully. USCIS may request letters from neighbors or employers. Letters should contain verifiable facts, not general praise.
For common problems at the interview stage, see our guide to the U.S. citizenship application process.
The proposed N-400 fee increase
The Department of Homeland Security proposed higher naturalization fees on June 23, 2026. The proposal includes:
| Filing | Current fee | Proposed fee |
|---|---|---|
| N-400 paper filing | $760 | $1,330 |
| N-400 online filing | $710 | $1,280 |
| N-400 reduced fee (lower income) | $380 | Proposed to be eliminated |
| N-400 fee waiver (Form I-912) | Available | Proposed to be eliminated |
| N-336 paper filing (hearing after denial) | $830 | $1,475 |
Other key points:
- The $50 discount for online filing would remain.
- Fee exemptions for military naturalization would continue.
- The proposal does not change fees for forms other than the N-400 and N-336.
Where the fee increase stands
- The proposal is not final. The public comment period closed on August 24, 2026.
- No final rule had been published as of September 17, 2026. The Federal Register shows only the proposal and a minor correction for this rulemaking.
- Current fees still apply. Applicants pay $760 on paper or $710 online.
- No effective date has been set. A final rule will set its own effective date.
Under the most recent fee rule in 2024, applications postmarked before the effective date were charged the old fees. A new final rule will likely include a similar transition, but that cannot be confirmed until it is published.
Does it make sense to file earlier?
If you are already eligible and your case is ready, the possibility of a fee increase may be a reason not to delay. Filing an incomplete or rushed application only to save on fees, however, increases the risk of denial and paying again.
Check these dates before deciding:
- Five-year rule: five years of continuous residence as a green card holder, physical presence in the U.S. for at least 30 months of that period, and at least three months of residence in the state or USCIS district before filing are required.
- Three-year rule: spouses of U.S. citizens need three years of continuous residence, three years of living in marital union, and at least 18 months of physical presence.
- 90-day early filing: applicants may file up to 90 days before completing the continuous residence period.
- Long trips abroad: trips longer than six months but shorter than one year are presumed to break continuous residence unless the applicant shows otherwise. Trips of one year or more break it.
Other recent changes in the naturalization process
- 2025 civics test: the new test applies to N-400 applications filed on or after October 20, 2025. Applicants are asked 20 questions from a list of 128 and must answer 12 correctly. The English test did not change.
- Security checks: we covered how the new FBI security checks announced in April 2026 affect citizenship processing in our article on the April 27, 2026 USCIS update.
Common mistakes
- Assuming every applicant will face a neighborhood investigation
- Filling in address and employment history with estimated dates
- Missing conflicts between tax returns and the N-400
- Treating the proposed fee increase as a final rule
- Filing an incomplete application only to avoid a possible fee increase
- Ignoring how long trips abroad affect continuous residence
Short pre-filing checklist
- Have I reached my filing date under the five-year or three-year rule?
- Are all addresses from the past five years listed with correct dates?
- Does my employment history match my tax records?
- Do any long trips abroad affect my continuous residence?
- Are my residence and marital union documents ready?
- Have I confirmed the current N-400 fee and form edition on the filing date?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a neighborhood investigation?
It is a review in which USCIS may speak with neighbors, employers, or coworkers to verify a naturalization applicant’s residence, employment history, and character.
Is every citizenship applicant investigated?
No. USCIS uses this tool case by case, as a matter of discretion.
Does an investigation mean my application will be denied?
No. An investigation is a way to verify statements. For applicants whose statements are accurate and supported by documents, it does not signal a negative outcome on its own.
What is the N-400 fee today?
As of September 17, 2026, it is $760 for paper filing and $710 for online filing. Before filing, confirm the current fee on USCIS’s N-400 page.
Has the N-400 fee increased to $1,330?
No. It is a proposal. The current fee applies until a final rule is published and takes effect.
If I file before the increase is final, will I pay the old fee?
In past fee rules, applications postmarked before the effective date were charged the old fee. The transition rule for this increase will be clear once a final rule is published.
I have a low income. Will the fee waiver be eliminated?
The proposal would eliminate the fee waiver and the $380 reduced fee for the N-400. Until a final rule takes effect, current options remain available.
I got my green card through marriage. Does the three-year rule still apply?
Yes. Green card holders married to and living with a U.S. citizen may apply after three years if they meet the other requirements.
Conclusion: consistency in your file matters more than ever
Neighborhood investigations are now part of the USCIS Policy Manual and can apply to pending applications. They are not used in every case, but they raise the importance of matching your N-400 statements with your documents and daily life. The proposed $1,330 fee is not final. If you are eligible and your file is ready, it makes sense to plan with a possible fee increase in mind.
To review your filing date, continuous residence, and supporting documents, contact Clinch Law.
Legal information notice
This content is provided for general information only. It does not create legal advice, an attorney-client relationship, or a guarantee of any outcome. Naturalization eligibility depends on residence, travel history, criminal history, tax records, and other personal circumstances. The proposed N-400 fee increase is not final. Legal information checked on: September 17, 2026.
