移民局新备忘录：入籍审理将严查抚养义务、福利欺诈与经济担保履约
美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）11月4日发布政策备忘录PM-602-0201，指导审理人员在归化入籍（N-400）案件中如何认定申请人是否具备法律要求的「良好道德品格」：故意不抚养被扶养人、骗取公共福利、不履行经济担保义务等行为，都可能被认定为品格不端而导致入籍被拒。
备忘录点名的情形包括：故意不抚养子女等被扶养人；以欺诈手段取得公共福利，包括被定罪或自认实施福利欺诈；不履行经济担保书（I-864系列）项下的担保义务，或不履行财务支持声明（I-134、I-134A）项下的支持义务；以及以故意让自己陷入贫困的方式领取需经经济审查的福利，以逃避自食其力的责任。
备忘录同时明确，合法领取福利本身并不构成品格障碍；审理人员须结合申请人全部情况作个案判断，而不是按单一事项一概否决。良好道德品格的考察期一般为申请前5年，美国公民的配偶为3年，且一直延续到申请人宣誓入籍为止，依据为联邦法规8 CFR 316.10中关于品格不端行为的规定。
USCIS表示将据此修订N-400入籍申请表，并出台《政策手册》配套指南，但尚未公布时间表。这份备忘录意味着，即使申请人满足居住年限、英语与公民考试等其他条件，财务与抚养方面的记录也可能直接决定入籍结果。
（来源：美国公民及移民服务局）
USCIS Memo Directs Closer Good Moral Character Review in Naturalization Cases, Covering Support Duties, Benefit Fraud and Sponsorship Obligations
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued policy memorandum PM-602-0201 on November 4, guiding officers on how to assess whether naturalization (Form N-400) applicants meet the statutory "good moral character" requirement: willfully failing to support dependents, obtaining public benefits by fraud, and failing to honor sponsorship obligations may all be treated as acts that reflect poorly on an applicant's character and can lead to denial.
The situations named in the memorandum include willfully failing to support children or other dependents; obtaining public benefits through fraud, including being convicted of or admitting benefit fraud; failing to comply with obligations under an affidavit of support (Form I-864 series) or with support commitments under a declaration of financial support (Forms I-134 and I-134A); and obtaining means-tested benefits through intentional self-impoverishment as a way of avoiding self-sufficiency.
The memorandum also makes clear that lawfully receiving public benefits is not, by itself, a character bar; officers must weigh the totality of each applicant's circumstances rather than deny on any single factor. The character period generally covers the five years before filing — three years for spouses of U.S. citizens — and runs through the oath of allegiance, under the framework of 8 CFR 316.10 on acts that may show a lack of good moral character.
USCIS says it will revise Form N-400 and issue accompanying Policy Manual guidance, but has not announced a timeline. The memorandum means that even applicants who meet the residence, English and civics requirements can see their naturalization decided by their financial and family-support record.
(Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
来源：美国公民及移民服务局
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，2025年入籍仪式宣誓现场（美国国家公园管理局照片），公共领域 | Image: Wikimedia Commons, 2025 naturalization ceremony oath (National Park Service photo), public domain
GSM Global · 本篇英文版 English edition of this story
