USCIS Lawsuit Forces 30-Day Extension for Older Immigration Forms – What You Need to Know!
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a 30-day grace period for applicants to continue using older versions of certain immigration forms, including green card and naturalization applications.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a 30-day grace period for applicants to continue using older versions of certain immigration forms, including green card and naturalization applications. The decision comes after a lawsuit challenged the agency’s abrupt transition to new forms without prior notice.
Table of Contents
USCIS Faces Legal Pressure Over Form Changes
The lawsuit, filed by the American Immigration Lawyers Association and Benach Collopy LLP in a federal court in Washington, D.C., argued that the sudden enforcement of revised forms caused confusion and unfairly impacted applicants. USCIS had introduced updated editions of key forms, including Form I-485 (green card applications) and Form N-400 (naturalization applications), on January 20, 2025. However, when these forms were released in late February and early March, no transition period was provided, leading to unintended errors in submissions.
Temporary Acceptance of Older Forms
In response to the legal challenge, USCIS confirmed that while the new forms will become mandatory in late March and early April 2025, older versions will still be accepted for 30 days following their respective release dates. This applies to forms issued on February 24, March 3, and March 4. After the deadline, only the newly issued forms will be considered valid.
Key Changes in the Revised Forms
The updated USCIS forms include several modifications, notably:
- Terminology updates, replacing the term “noncitizen” with “alien.”
- Gender options limited to only “male” and “female,” aligning with Trump-era immigration policies.
Impact on Applicants
Immigration attorneys and applicants had raised concerns that the sudden requirement for new forms disrupted ongoing cases and created additional hurdles for individuals navigating the immigration process. The temporary grace period provides applicants and legal representatives time to adjust and ensure compliance with the new requirements.
As the deadline approaches, USCIS has urged applicants to review the revised forms carefully to avoid rejection after the transition period ends.
