Three months into 2025, U.S. immigration agencies have made a series of quiet but significant updates that affect how couples apply for marriage-based green cards. While no sweeping policy shift has been formally announced, changes to official forms, filing rules, and agency messaging suggest that immigration authorities are tightening procedures and sharpening focus on fraud detection.
If you’re a couple applying for a green card in 2025, here’s what you need to know:
New Form Editions for Multiple Forms
USCIS is rolling out new mandatory editions of key forms used in the marriage green card process:
- Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status): Starting April 3, 2025, only the 01/20/25 edition will be accepted.
- Form I-129F (Fiancé Visa): Starting May 1, 2025, only the 01/20/25 edition will be accepted.
- Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative): The current 04/01/24 edition remains valid but now includes explicit marriage fraud warnings and reminders about consular processing choices.
Applicants should ensure that all pages of each form submission match the same edition date. Submitting forms with mismatched or outdated pages may lead to rejection.
USCIS has updated a broad range of immigration forms beyond these marriage-based petitions, including forms for naturalization, humanitarian protections, employment authorization, and travel documents. Most carry the same 01/20/25 edition date.
When you apply with Boundless, we always check that your forms are current — so you never risk rejection for using an outdated version. Check your eligibility today.
USCIS Initially Rolled Out Changes Without a Grace Period — Then Reversed Course
When some of the new forms were first released in January 2025, USCIS indicated that they were effective immediately — leading to confusion and rejections for applicants who hadn’t yet switched to the new editions.
Soon after, the agency reversed course and announced grace periods:
- I-485: older editions remained accepted through April 2, 2025
- I-129F: older editions accepted through April 30, 2025
This inconsistency underscores the importance of closely monitoring USCIS announcements and checking edition dates before submitting any forms.
USCIS Filing Rules Are Getting Stricter
Across all three marriage-green card forms, USCIS has introduced or emphasized:
- No combined payments: Each form must be paid separately. Submitting one check for multiple forms could result in the entire package being rejected.
- Clear selection of processing type: Applicants must now explicitly indicate whether the beneficiary will pursue adjustment of status or consular processing. Leaving this blank or answering both may delay or misroute a petition.
- Stricter rules around medical form submission: Form I-693 (Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record) must be included at the time of filing in most cases.
- COVID-19 vaccination no longer required: As of January 22, 2025, USCIS will no longer request proof of COVID-19 vaccination with the I-693 medical form.
These changes align with USCIS’s broader push to digitize systems, reduce filing errors, and increase consistency in adjudications.
Marriage Fraud Prevention Messaging Evolves
In a newly added section of the I-130 form webpage, USCIS now encourages the public to:
“Report suspected immigration benefit fraud and abuse, including marriage fraud.”
This language did not appear on the I-130 page in late 2024 and marks a shift in tone — echoing language from earlier high-enforcement years.
At the same time, ICE quietly updated its longstanding “Stop Marriage Fraud” campaign page in March 2025. While the content remains live, it is now labeled as “archived” and includes a disclaimer that it is “not reflective of current practice.”
Taken together, these developments may suggest that enforcement around marriage-based immigration fraud may once again be rising as a priority, echoing patterns seen during the Trump administration’s first term.
Applying from outside the U.S.? Boundless can help you understand which type of marriage-based visa (CR-1, IR-1, or K-1) makes the most sense for your situation — and what level of documentation you’ll need. Get started.
Processing Times Are Already Climbing
These procedural shifts arrive as processing times for all family-based immigration petitions have already increased. According to Boundless analysis of government data, average wait times for Form I-130 and Form I-485 have grown in recent months, especially for marriage-based applicants.
Historically, similar surges in processing times — and increased scrutiny — occurred during periods of heightened enforcement under the Trump administration, offering a precedent for what may lie ahead in 2025 and beyond.
What This Means for Applicants
For now, eligibility rules for marriage green cards remain unchanged. However the USCIS filing environment could be evolving:
- Expect stricter scrutiny of form completeness, consistency, and evidence of relationship, especially for a marriage green card 2025 application.
- Prepare documentation carefully, especially proof of a bona fide marriage (shared finances, housing, children, or third-party affidavits).
- Watch for signs of increased enforcement, particularly in cases involving previous visa overstays, past marriages, or applicants from regions with high denial rates.
Boundless will continue monitoring form updates, processing data, and immigration enforcement trends to help you stay prepared.
Resources for Additional Help
- USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283
- USCIS Online Resources: uscis.gov/forms
- American Immigration Lawyers Association Referral Service: ailalawyer.com
- Immigration nonprofit organizations in your area may offer free or low-cost assistance