Resubmission of Fingerprints Effective April 27, 2026

Posted on by Susan Lane

ENHANCED SECURITY CHECKS EFFECTIVE APRIL 27, 2026 REQUIRING RESUBMISSION OF FINGERPRINTS

President Donald Trump’s administration has mandated what it calls “enhanced” security checks for immigration applicants, following an executive order Trump signed in February which directed that “DHS immigration authorities must access criminal history record information (CHRI) in the custody of federal criminal justice agencies to the maximum extent permitted by law.”

Effective April 27, 2026, USCIS officers are directed to resubmit fingerprints for pending cases if the FBI information for those cases was received prior to April 27, 2026. USCIS said that “any delay in decision issuance should be brief and resolved shortly.” The enhanced checks will affect pending applications for which immigrants submit fingerprints, such as applications for permanent residence and naturalization. In some cases, it may be necessary for the applicant to be scheduled for another biometrics appointment.

CONSULAR POSTS ARE RESCHEDULING H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPOINTMENTS DUE TO EXTRA VETTING NOW REQUIRED

Posted on by Susan Lane

Posts in India (including Hyderabad and Chennai), Ireland and Vietnam thus far have been unilaterally rescheduling visa appointments currently scheduled on or after December 15, 2025, many to March 2026 or later.

 

Limited Rescheduling: Applicants who cannot attend on the new date may reschedule online, but are limited to one opportunity to reschedule. Fee receipts older than one year are considered expired and cannot be used to reschedule. Missing or canceling the rescheduled appointment may result in forfeiture of the fee.

 

If you travel abroad in anticipation of a visa appointment, be prepared to remain abroad for an extended period of time.  Monitor your appointment portals for any updated appointment letters or other notifications.

Nonimmigrant Visa Applications Must Be Made In Country of Nationality or Residence

Posted on by Susan Lane

This change, effective 9/6/2025, eliminates the ability to apply for a nonimmigrant visa in a third country which often resulted in shorter wait times or was more convenient based on personal or business reasons.

 

Applicants who schedule nonimmigrant interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside of their country of nationality or residence might find that it will be more difficult to qualify for the visa.  Fees paid for such applications will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.

 

Exceptions include applicants for A, G, C-2, C-3, NATO visas, and applicants for diplomatic-type visas. Rare exceptions may be made for humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.

 

Because this is a new policy, we have yet to see how or if exceptions will be made on a discretionary basis.

Changes to The Naturalization Application Process

Posted on by Susan Lane

A requirement for naturalization has always been establishing good moral character. This remains a significant factor but the review process is changing. Previously, USCIS primarily relied upon a satisfactory financial history (e.g., verifying that the applicant has complied with tax obligations and child support payments) and no past misconduct (such as unlawfully voting, making false claims to citizenship, or criminal activities).

 

The changes USCIS announced include restoring “robust” vetting for all applicants and stricter reviews of disability exceptions to the English and civics requirements. USCIS will also be looking for positive contributions to American society instead of a mere absence of bad behavior. The agency is resuming neighborhood investigations to ensure that applicants 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 applicants from showing good moral character.

 

USCIS is also changing the civics and government test, which is conducted orally. Applicants who file Form N-400 on or after Oct. 20, 2025 must take the 2025 civics test. Applicants who filed before that date will take the 2008 naturalization civics test.

 

The 2025 test will include administering 20 test questions (instead of the previous 10) wherein the applicant must get 12 correct (versus the previous 6 correct answers). An applicant fails the test if they have 9 incorrect answers.

 

More information can be found here: https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/check-for-test-updates.