Overview

• Under tightened 2025 scrutiny, agencies use document reviews, interviews, database cross-checks and inspections to detect irregularities in Green Card cases.
• Fraud detected during filing results in denial and can carry a lifetime finding of inadmissibility.
• Fraud discovered after approval can lead to revocation of permanent residence, removal proceedings and potential federal criminal penalties.
• USCIS outlines a stepwise process: confirm eligibility, file I-130 or I-140, await petition approval, submit Form I-485 for adjustment, attend an interview, receive a decision.
• Family routes differ by category, with immediate relatives processed more quickly while family-preference applicants often face quota-driven waits lasting years.