The United States will soon make it compulsory to file certain immigration applications online, including for green cards, citizenship and asylum. Officials say the change will lower costs, cut down on mistakes and help speed up how cases are handled.
Under a new rule from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), published in the Federal Register on Monday, any form that has been available for online filing for at least 180 days will now have to be submitted that way. The rule also lets USCIS make additional forms online-only in future, as long as it gives 60 days’ notice first.
The change is expected to touch a wide range of applications, including green card requests and renewals, family-based petitions, citizenship filings, asylum claims, work authorisation applications and Temporary Protected Status filings.
Most applicants will need to file through a USCIS online account. They can either fill out the form directly online or upload a completed PDF version along with supporting documents.
USCIS said the move is meant to help the agency move away from paper-based processing and reduce its dependence on the Treasury Department’s lockbox service, which currently handles mailed applications.
The agency said filing online would cut down on errors, speed up processing and make it easier to detect fraud, since digital records are simpler to access and review than paper files.
The scale of the current paper system is large. In the 2025 financial year, USCIS processed more than 14 million benefit requests, while its lockbox facilities handled about 453 million pages of paper submissions. The agency spent roughly $396 million running its lockbox intake system, and more than $10 million on postage alone.
The Department of Homeland Security said requiring online filing would reduce costs linked to manual handling, data entry, shipping, storage and scanning, while also making case processing faster.
Applicants who are unable to file online can apply for an exemption using a separate form. USCIS will review these requests case by case before deciding whether to grant a waiver. Anyone approved for an exemption will need to pay a $25 filing fee.
Indians are among the largest groups affected by this rule. India has one of the biggest backlogs of employment-based green card applicants in the US, many of them on H-1B visas, and a large number of Indian nationals also file for family-based green cards, citizenship and Temporary Protected Status extensions each year.
For most Indian applicants who already use immigration lawyers or online portals, the shift to mandatory e-filing is likely to be a smaller change. But it could pose problems for elderly parents applying for green cards through family sponsorship, or for applicants in rural areas with limited internet access, who may need to rely on the exemption process.
USCIS has not announced a start date for enforcement, so applicants with pending or upcoming filings should watch for updates on which forms move to mandatory online filing first.
The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More
