Overview

• The policy effective August 1 retroactively applies to all pending and new Form I-130 petitions, including those filed by U.S. military service members.
• USCIS now mandates detailed in-person spousal interviews and documentary evidence such as joint bank statements, photographs and affidavits to confirm genuine marriages.
• The updated manual clarifies that filing a family petition does not confer legal status or protect applicants from removal proceedings at any stage.
• Nearly 520,000 I-130 petitions filed in the first half of 2025 and more than 2.4 million pending cases as of June 2025 underscore the scale of applicants affected and potential processing delays.
• USCIS says the measures will protect system integrity by deterring fraud and national security threats; advocates warn they may chill lawful applications.