Revised USCIS Green Card Rules: Here’s What Changed After September 18th, Who It Affects | Today’s news
Revised green card rules announced by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) last month have now gone into effect, starting on September 18. Under the updated guidelines for determining the inadmissibility of public charges, most green card applicants will now have to demonstrate that they are financially self-sufficient, while certain humanitarian groups, including refugees and victims of human trafficking, remain exempt.
The changes affect a wide range of applicants, especially those who apply for permanent residence through the family or employment categories.
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USCIS announces updated rules for green card applicants
The updated permanent resident application form, Form I-485, is used by eligible persons living in the US to apply for lawful permanent residence, commonly referred to as a green card. According to the official notification, the form has a release date of 18 September 2026, replacing the previous version of 20 January 2025.
According to the federal agency, a revised Form I-485 was introduced to align the adjustment of status process with the recently announced final rule governing grounds for public fee inadmissibility. The public charge criteria help determine whether an applicant is likely to rely on the US government to support their livelihood.
What is changing under the new green card rules?
Under the updated guidelines, most applicants who wish to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident in the US will be subject to a public fee review. This applies to spouses, children and parents of US citizens or lawful permanent residents, along with other eligible family members. It also applies to spouses of U.S. citizens and certain job applicants, including priority workers, highly educated professionals, and individuals of exceptional ability, as well as skilled workers, other professionals, general workers, investors, religious workers, and diversity visa applicants.
According to USCIS, children will also continue to be subject to the public fee rule, which addresses potential confusion among family applicants.
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Categories exempted from the revised rules
The federal agency also listed categories that are exempt from the updated rules. These include:
- Refugees and asylum seekers
2. American immigrants at reception
3. Special juvenile immigrants
4. Afghan and Iraqi interpreters or Afghan and Iraqi nationals employed by or on behalf of the US Government
5. Applicants for adjustment under the Cuban Adjustment Act
6. Applicants applying for temporary protection status
7. Victims of human trafficking (non-immigrants)
8. Victims of Eligible Crime (Non-U.S. Immigrants)
9. Certain abused aliens who are “qualified aliens” under the Personal Responsibility and Employment Opportunity Act of 1996
10. Self-proclaimers under the Violence Against Women Act
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When do the new rules apply to applicants?
A key factor for applicants is the date of application. USCIS determines which rules apply based on when the application is postmarked or sent electronically, not when it is reviewed.
According to official documents:
September 18, 2026 and beyond: Applications are subject to the 2026 guidelines, which include a wider range of benefits when assessing public charges.
December 23, 2022 to September 17, 2026: The 2022 final rule applies with a shortlist of benefits under consideration.
Until December 23, 2022: The 1999 Interim Field Guidelines continue to apply.
