U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances
Release Date: 05/22/2026
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a new policy memo reiterating the fact that, consistent with long-standing immigration law and immigration court decisions, aliens seeking adjustment of status must do so through consular processing via the Department of State outside of the country. Officers are directed to consider all relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining whether an alien warrants this extraordinary form of relief.
“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances. This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes. When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency,” said USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler.
“Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose. Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process. Following the law allows the majority of these cases to be handled by the State Department at U.S. consular offices abroad and frees up limited USCIS resources to focus on processing other cases that fall under its purview, including visas for victims of violent crime and human trafficking, naturalization applications, and other priorities. The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient.”
For more information, see the policy memo to USCIS immigration officers.
Source: USCIS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances
Court Order on Partial Stay of DHS 2024 USCIS Fee Rule
Release Date: 11/18/2025
On Nov. 12, 2025, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado issued a decision in Moody v. Noem, No. 24-cv-00762-CNS (D. Colo.), staying certain EB-5 related fees that were codified by DHS in the 2024 Fee Rule, which became effective April 1, 2024. The court determined that the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 precluded DHS from adjusting EB-5 program fees in the 2024 Fee Rule. DHS and USCIS believe the Court’s decision is incorrect but are working to implement it.
In accordance with the Nov. 12 order, and effective immediately, USCIS will accept the fees that were in effect until March 31, 2024, which are listed in the “Current Fee” schedule below. Petitioners and applicants should pay fees according to the “Current Fee” schedule, not the higher “Previous Fee” schedule. However, for items postmarked Nov. 26, 2025 or earlier, USCIS will also accept payment of the “Previous Fee.” For items postmarked after that date, USCIS will reject petitions or applications that are accompanied by the “Previous Fee.”
Requests should be submitted on the current version of the relevant form. The following table summarizes the applicable forms and fees.
Immigration Benefit Request Current Fee (based on 03/31/24 Fee*) Previous Fee** (04/01/24)
Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor $3,675 $11,160 Form I-526E, Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor $3,675 $11,160 Form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status
$3,750 $9,525 Form I-956, Application for Regional Center Designation $17,795 $47,695 Form I-956F, Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise
$17,795 $47,695 Form I-956G, Regional Center Annual Statement $3,035 $4,470
*Reinstated as of Nov. 13, 2025.
**For information only. Do not pay this amount.
Source: USCIS Court Order on Partial Stay of DHS 2024 USCIS Fee Rule | USCIS
USCIS 2025 Civics Test Study Guide & 2025 Naturalization Test
Release Date: 09/18/2025
128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version) (Click to download)
One Nation, One People: The USCIS 2025 Civics Test Study Guide (Click to download)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted a Federal Register notice announcing implementation of the 2025 naturalization civics test. The 2025 test assesses an alien’s understanding of U.S. history and government in line with the statutory requirement and is one of many steps in an ongoing effort to restore integrity to the naturalization process and meet congressional intent.
USCIS has already announced several changes, including restoring robust vetting for all aliens and stricter reviews of disability exceptions to the English and civics requirements. USCIS has also provided officers guidance on assessing aliens’ good moral character, looking for positive contributions to American society instead of a mere absence of bad behavior. The agency is also resuming neighborhood investigations to ensure that aliens meet statutory requirements and are worthy of U.S. citizenship. Other recent policies include clarifying that unlawfully voting, unlawfully registering to vote, and making false claims to U.S. citizenship disqualify aliens from showing good moral character.
In the coming weeks and months, USCIS will announce other initiatives to further enhance the integrity of the naturalization process.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCIS to Modernize Fee Payments with Electronic Funds
Release Date: 08/29/2025
New form allows payment of filing fees, services via secure direct debit payments
WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has implemented a new way to pay fees using electronic debit from a U.S. bank account. Effective immediately, individuals can make transactions directly to USCIS by completing and signing Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions, and filing it with their applications, petitions, or requests.
The move aligns with Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments to and from America’s Bank Account, and is aimed at reducing the time and manpower required to process checks and money orders, as well as reducing the risks of fraud, lost payments, and theft.
“We have a responsibility to the American people to operate as efficiently and securely as possible,” said USCIS Spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser. “Over 90% of our payments come from checks and money orders, causing processing delays and increasing the risk of fraud and lost payments. America deserves better, and we intend to deliver.”
This new ACH debit payment option is in addition to the existing option of paying by credit card using Form G-1450, giving individuals multiple options to pay required fees.
USCIS will continue to accept paper check and money order payments in addition to credit and debit payments until Oct. 28, 2025. After Oct. 28, USCIS will accept only ACH debit transactions using Form G-1650 or credit card payments using Form G-1450.
USCIS has also issued updated guidance in the Policy Manual (PDF, 495.95 KB) to include ACH debit transactions using Form G-1650 as an acceptable form of payment.
Applicants and petitioners should ensure their accounts have sufficient funds to cover all filing fees. USCIS may reject any application, petition, or request if the transaction is denied. If you do not have a U.S. bank account you cannot use Form G-1650, but you may submit Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, and use prepaid credit cards to pay filing fees.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCIS to Consider Anti-Americanism in Immigrant Benefit Requests
Release Date: 08/19/2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding the factors that officers consider in certain benefit requests where an exercise of discretion is required, including factors relating to aliens’ past requests for parole and any involvement in anti-American or terrorist organizations, as well as the use of discretion in adjudication of certain benefit requests where evidence of antisemitic activity is present.
Separately, USCIS has expanded the types of benefit requests that receive social media vetting, and reviews for anti-American activity will be added to that vetting. Anti-American activity will be an overwhelmingly negative factor in any discretionary analysis.
“America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible,” said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser. “Immigration benefits—including to live and work in the United States—remain a privilege, not a right.
USCIS is reiterating its guidance that an alien’s compliance with immigration laws is a relevant factor when determining if a favorable exercise of discretion is warranted and updating the Policy Manual to provide additional guidance in circumstances where an alien has endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused the views of a terrorist organization or group, including aliens who support or promote anti-American ideologies or activities, antisemitic terrorism and antisemitic terrorist organizations, or who promote antisemitic ideologies. When conducting a discretionary analysis, USCIS officers will consider whether an alien’s application for admission or parole was made in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies in effect at the time.
This update will also clarify how an exercise of discretion is applied when adjudicating an EB-5 investor petition or application in cases involving threats to the national interest, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, and criminal misuse.
This guidance, contained in Volume 1 of the Policy Manual, is effective immediately and applies to requests pending or filed on or after the publication date. The guidance contained in the Policy Manual is controlling and supersedes any related prior guidance.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS to Consider Anti-Americanism in Immigrant Benefit Requests
USCIS Updates Policy on CSPA Age Calculation
Release Date: 08/08/2025
We are updating the Policy Manual to clarify that a visa becomes available for the purposes of Child Status Protection Act age calculation based on the Final Action Dates chart of the Department of State Visa Bulletin. The new guidance applies to requests filed on or after August 15, 2025. We will apply the Feb. 14, 2023 (PDF, 345 KB), policy of CSPA age calculation to adjustment of status applications pending with USCIS before August 15, 2025, as these aliens may have relied on that policy when they filed.
This policy update ensures both USCIS and the Department of State use the Final Action Dates chart in the Visa Bulletin to determine when a visa becomes available for the purposes of CSPA age calculation. This establishes a consistent CSPA age calculation for aliens who apply for adjustment of status and immigrant visas. The Feb. 14, 2023, policy resulted in inconsistent treatment of aliens who applied for adjustment of status in the United States versus aliens outside the United States who applied for an immigrant visa with the Department of State.
Generally, an unmarried alien child must be under age 21 to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the United States based on their parent’s approved petition for a family-sponsored, employment-based, or diversity visa. If they turn 21 and age out during the immigration process, they generally are no longer eligible to immigrate based on their parent’s petition. Congress enacted the CSPA to protect certain alien children from losing their eligibility for lawful permanent resident status based on an approved visa petition. The CSPA provides a method to calculate the alien’s age that considers when an immigrant visa number “becomes available.”
If an alien is applying for adjustment of status under a family-sponsored, employment-based preference, or diversity visa, they must seek to acquire lawful permanent residence within one year of when a visa becomes available to benefit from the CSPA age calculation. This update also clarifies that we consider an alien to have satisfied the “sought to acquire” requirement if they demonstrate extraordinary circumstances for failing to seek lawful permanent resident status within one year of when a visa becomes available. If an alien demonstrates extraordinary circumstances for not applying for adjustment of status during the period of the Feb. 14, 2023, policy before August 15,2025, we will calculate CSPA age under the Feb. 14, 2023, policy.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS Updates Policy on CSPA Age Calculation | USCIS