US Tightens Green Card Rules: Family Reunification Faces Stricter Scrutiny

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency responsible for legal immigration to the United States, has tightened the conditions for obtaining a Green Card through an American spouse or a family member of the applicant. Since the beginning of this month of August, pending or new applications are being carefully examined to ensure that all requirements have been met.

The Citizenship and Immigration Service now requires "authentic and verifiable" proof of cohabitation (joint bank statements, personal photos, letters from relatives, etc.), as well as mandatory interviews to assess the sincerity of the spouses’ union. The USCIS will also conduct research on the immigration history of the candidates.

According to the agency, the objective of this reform is to detect fraudulent applications (arranged marriages), to guarantee permanent residence to those who are truly entitled to it, and to preserve public confidence in this process. The new policy does not exclude deportation, even after the application has been accepted.