Starting today, US immigration authority gets power to mandate online form filing
The US Department of Homeland Security has implemented a new rule allowing USCIS to mandate electronic filing for certain immigration forms. The move is intended to improve national security screening, reduce processing times, and enhance fraud detection.
Why it matters
Digitizing immigration processes is a significant administrative shift that impacts how millions of applicants interact with the US government, with potential implications for accessibility.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new interim final rule that allows US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to require electronic filing for certain immigration forms. The new rule goes into effect starting today, August 11. Under the rule, USCIS can make online filing mandatory for eligible forms after giving at least 60 days' public notice. The agency said the move is aimed at improving national security screening through faster data access, reducing costs, strengthening fraud detection and speeding up application processing.“Under this IFR, USCIS may require future filings of any immigration form that has been available for e-filing for at least 180 days to be submitted online. USCIS will notify the public on its website at least 60 days before requiring e-filing of a form.
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