New green card rules for married couples strengthen immigration officials’ powers amid backlog; here’s how
Reuters
Synopsis
US Citizenship and Immigration Services has updated its policy for family-based visa petitions. The update, effective immediately, aims to strengthen the evaluation process. It addresses eligibility, documentation, and interview procedures. The goal is to reduce fraud and ensure deserving families can unite in the United States. The update comes as USCIS faces a significant backlog of immigration cases.
By Global Desk
An updated policy guidance has been released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) focusing on how family-based immigrant visa petitions, commonly used by married couples seeking green cards, are evaluated.
Green card update strengthens USCIS
The update aims to clarify existing procedures and enhance the agency’s ability to evaluate the validity of marriage-based and other family-related immigration petitions, where spouses or immediate relatives are applying for lawful permanent residency. The guidance explains eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, interview procedures, how USCIS takes care of cases with multiple or related petitions, and when petitions may be referred to other government agencies.
It also clarifies when the agency will send approved petitions to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, especially if a beneficiary initially sought to adjust status in the U.S. but was later found ineligible.
Why Green Card updates matter
The new policy is effective immediately and applies to both pending and newly filed petitions. The latest update comes as USCIS deals with a major backlog of immigration cases, with 11.3 million pending applications.
According to Newsweek, USCIS data from January to March 2025 states that some immigration categories are witnessing worsening delays, with processing times rising up. Applicants are left waiting months or even years as backlogs continue to mount each quarter.
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In a press release issued on August 1, 2025, USCIS said, "Fraudulent, frivolous, or otherwise non-meritorious family-based immigrant visa petitions erode confidence in family-based pathways to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status and undermine family unity in the United States."Green card update strengthens USCIS
The update aims to clarify existing procedures and enhance the agency’s ability to evaluate the validity of marriage-based and other family-related immigration petitions, where spouses or immediate relatives are applying for lawful permanent residency. The guidance explains eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, interview procedures, how USCIS takes care of cases with multiple or related petitions, and when petitions may be referred to other government agencies.
It also clarifies when the agency will send approved petitions to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, especially if a beneficiary initially sought to adjust status in the U.S. but was later found ineligible.
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Why Green Card updates matter
The new policy is effective immediately and applies to both pending and newly filed petitions. The latest update comes as USCIS deals with a major backlog of immigration cases, with 11.3 million pending applications.
According to Newsweek, USCIS data from January to March 2025 states that some immigration categories are witnessing worsening delays, with processing times rising up. Applicants are left waiting months or even years as backlogs continue to mount each quarter.
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