Introduction: The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented updated rules in 2025 that tighten the requirements and scrutiny for married couples applying for green cards. This article explores the latest changes in policy, form updates, and the increased verification measures designed to prevent marriage fraud while confirming genuine relationships.
Updated USCIS Rules on Marriage-Based Green Cards
In August 2025, USCIS published new policy guidance that applies to both pending and newly filed marriage-based green card applications, aiming to ensure applications are genuine and compliant with legal standards. The agency has emphasized the need to combat fraudulent petitions, which they argue damage the integrity of family-based immigration pathways and affect family unity.
To this end, couples must now provide more robust documentation demonstrating the authenticity of their marriage. This includes submitting joint financial records such as shared bank statements and utility bills, photographs depicting the couple together, and personal affidavits or statements from friends and family. Additionally, USCIS officers are now instructed to meticulously review any past petitions filed by the sponsor or applicant to identify potential patterns of deceit.
This strengthened scrutiny also means longer interviews and more detailed evidence collection, aspects that can potentially elongate the green card process for many couples. The update precisely lays out procedures to make adjudications more consistent across different cases, reflecting USCIS’s commitment to cracking down on sham marriages while still supporting legitimate spouses.
New Form Editions and Procedural Shifts in 2025
Alongside revised policy, USCIS has mandated new editions for key immigration forms related to marriage-based green card applications. Effective April 2025, only the 01/20/25 edition of Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) will be accepted. Likewise, starting May 2025, the updated Form I-129F (Fiancé Visa) edition must be used. Although Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) remains on the 04/01/24 version, it now features explicit warnings about marriage fraud and clarifications related to consular processing versus adjustment of status.
These form updates require applicants to submit complete sets matching the exact edition date, disallowing mixing of old and new pages. Failure to comply with these strict stipulations can result in application rejections or delays, thereby making it essential for couples to prepare meticulously and double-check their paperwork before submission.
The adoption of these updated forms, paired with new USCIS guidance, iconizes a more rigorous approach by immigration authorities in reviewing family-based petitions. These procedural and documentation changes suggest that USCIS is strategically enhancing fraud detection capabilities to uphold the integrity of the immigration system.
Conclusion
In 2025, the USCIS has raised the bar for married couples applying for green cards by tightening documentation requirements, increasing procedural scrutiny, and enforcing updated immigration forms. These changes aim to better identify fraudulent marriages while protecting genuine family-based immigration cases. Couples navigating the system should prepare for a more demanding process that requires thorough evidence and precise adherence to new form editions to ensure successful applications.
About the Author
