The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy, effective August 5, 2026, tightening the application process for visas, green cards and other immigration benefits.
Under the policy, applicants must prove their eligibility for the specific benefit when they submit their application.
USCIS said applications that lack required initial evidence or proof of eligibility may be denied without first issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID).
The agency said the forms and instructions for each benefit clearly list required documents, giving applicants the ability to file complete applications from the outset.
USCIS described the measure as consistent with the Department of Homeland Security's long-standing regulatory authority and as a step that would strengthen the integrity of the immigration system and make baseless filings harder.
The new policy reverses a Biden-administration approach that encouraged officers to send RFEs when applications were incomplete or lacked evidence, rather than denying them outright.
USCIS stated that, unless existing regulations or agency policy provide otherwise, the new rules apply to all immigration benefit applications filed on or after August 5, 2026, and to those still pending on that date.