Good moral character is a defined legal concept in United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 law

Law of the United States

The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...

 that details requirements for consideration for certain benefits or positions. The term is chiefly used by the federal government in immigration law

Immigration law

Immigration law refers to national government policies which control the phenomenon of immigration to their country.Immigraton law, regarding foreign citizens, is related to nationality law, which governs the legal status of people, in matters such as citizenship...

, but it can also be a requirement for a particular position of employment or licensure

Licensure

Licensure refers to the granting of a license, which gives a "permission to practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which involves a high level of specialized skill...

 in a particular occupation or profession, such as admission to practice law. In order to gain U.S. citizenship

United States nationality law

Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...

 through naturalization

Naturalization

Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....

, a person must be considered of "good moral character".