The US is set to make online filing mandatory for a wide range of immigration benefits, including green cards, citizenship, asylum and employment authorisation, as part of a push to modernise processing and cut operational costs.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a rule published in the Federal Register on Monday, said forms that have been available for electronic filing for at least 180 days will have to be submitted online.
The rule also establishes a process for making additional forms online-only, provided the agency gives applicants at least 60 days' notice.
The move could affect green card applications and renewals, family-based petitions, citizenship requests, asylum claims, employment authorisation applications and Temporary Protected Status filings.
Applicants will generally be required to use a USCIS online account, either by completing the form electronically or uploading a PDF of the completed form along with supporting documents.
USCIS said the rule is aimed at accelerating its shift away from paper-based processing and reducing reliance on the Treasury Department's lockbox system, which receives and processes applications submitted by mail.
The agency said electronic filing would improve efficiency, reduce errors and strengthen fraud detection and security screening by making immigration data easier to access and analyse.
Applicants who are unable to file online can seek an exemption by submitting a new form. USCIS will assess such requests on a case-by-case basis, with approved applicants required to pay a USD 25 filing fee.
USCIS processed more than 14 million benefit requests in fiscal year 2025, while its lockbox facilities handled around 453 million pages of paper submissions.
The agency spent approximately USD 396 million operating lockbox intake systems and more than USD 10 million on postage alone.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expects mandatory e-filing to reduce costs linked to manual handling, data entry, shipping, storage and scanning, while also speeding up adjudication workflows.
With inputs from PTI)
