Immigration News - GMC standard, good moral character standard, Immigration policy 2025, USCIS, United States United States | USCIS issues guidance on “good moral character” standard for US citizenship Share this article LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) August 19, 2025 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a memo on Aug. 15 providing guidance on the “good moral character” (GMC) standard as an eligibility factor for becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. Key Points: USCIS calls the policy guidance “an improved direction for making GMC determinations and signals a return to a comprehensive, totality of circumstances approach to GMC under section 101(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.” According to USCIS, the policy’s “holistic approach” to GMC determination includes “greater emphasis on positive attributes or contributions” and “greater scrutiny of disqualifying behavior and action.” The complete policy memo can be read here. This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group. Copyright © 2025 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.