US Set To Make Online Filing Of Immigration Applications Mandatory
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is transitioning to a mandatory online filing system for various immigration benefits, including green cards and citizenship. This rule requires applicants to use the USCIS online portal for forms that have been available electronically for at least 180 days, aiming to reduce paper-based processing costs and improve efficiency.
Why it matters
This shift represents a significant modernization of the US immigration system, potentially streamlining bureaucratic processes while creating new accessibility challenges for applicants without digital resources.
The US will soon make online applications mandatory for immigration benefits such as green card, citizenship, and asylum, among others, in a bid to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.The US Citizenship and Immigration Services, in a new rule published in the Federal Register on Monday, said it will now be mandatory to fill any form that has been available for e-filing for at least 180 days.It would also establish a process that allows the agency to make forms online-only after providing at least 60 days' notice.The rule could affect a wide range of immigration benefits, including green card applications and renewals, family-based petitions, citizenship requests, asylum claims, employment authorisation applications and Temporary Protected Status filings.Applicants will generally submit filings through a USCIS online account by either by completing the form online; or uploading a PDF version of the completed form and supporting evidence.The USCIS said the rule is intended…
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