USCIS Updates Requirements for Marriage-Based Green Card

USCIS: New green card requirements effective August 2025

In-person interviews now mandatory

Stricter review of immigration history

According to a statement released by USCIS and reported by Univision News, new rules took effect on August 1, 2025, tightening the process for obtaining permanent residency through marriage to a U.S. citizen.

These new guidelines aim to strengthen fraud detection and verify the authenticity of family relationships.

USCIS Reinforces Marriage-Based Immigration Controls

USCIS Updates Requirements for Marriage-Based Green Card – PHOTO Shutterstock

Why it matters

USCIS new measures apply to both newly submitted applications and those already in progress.

While the agency maintains that the goal is to protect the integrity of the immigration system, immigrant advocates warn that these changes could create additional barriers—even for couples in legitimate marriages.

Key Highlights of the New USCIS Policy

No guaranteed residency: Approval of a marriage-based green card petition does not automatically grant legal permanent residency.

USCIS may still order the applicant’s deportation if the immigration law so dictates.

Increased evidence requirements: Applicants must now provide clear and substantial documentation to prove their marriage is legitimate.

This includes joint photos, shared financial records or bank accounts, and sworn statements from friends or relatives.

Mandatory interviews: In-person interviews with both spouses are now a required step in the verification process.

Review of prior petitions and immigration history: All previous petitions from both the applicant and the sponsor, as well as the foreign national’s entire immigration history, will be thoroughly reviewed.

“Family-based immigrant visa applications that are fraudulent, frivolous, or otherwise meritless erode trust in legal pathways to permanent residence and undermine family unity in the U.S.,” stated USCIS.

“We are committed to protecting Americans by identifying foreign nationals with potentially harmful intentions so they can be processed for removal from the U.S.,” the agency added.

USCIS Faces Millions of Pending Cases

These new measures come amid significant administrative backlogs: USCIS is currently managing over 11.3 million pending immigration cases, according to figures cited by Newsweek.

“This guidance will improve USCIS’s ability to assess qualifying marriages and family relationships to ensure they are genuine, verifiable, and compliant with all applicable laws,” the agency said in its statement.

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Reactions and Criticism to New Green Card Requirements

The tougher stance has sparked criticism. Morgan Bailey, former Department of Homeland Security official, told Newsweek:

“The Trump administration believes the USCIS’s main mission is to function as a vetting and investigative agency, rather than one that grants benefits.”

In Summary

These new rules mark a stricter shift in U.S. immigration policy regarding family reunification through marriage.

While they are justified as anti-fraud measures, they also raise concerns about the impact on legitimate applications.

Do you think these changes will disproportionately affect those trying to follow the law?

SOURCE: Univision Noticias