US tightens green card rules for married couples

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued new policy guidance aimed at tightening the review process for marriage-based green card applications.

Effective August 1, 2025, the updated rules have been added to the USCIS Policy Manual and apply to both new and pending family-based petitions for lawful permanent residence (green cards).

According to USCIS, these revisions are intended to strengthen the agency’s ability to identify fraudulent applications and confirm the authenticity and legality of claimed marital relationships.

In an official statement, the agency emphasised that fraudulent or baseless petitions harm the credibility of the family-based immigration system and threaten the principle of family unity in the US The updated guidance, USCIS said, is designed to ensure that spousal relationships are ‘legitimate, well-documented, and fully compliant with US laws’.