If you have been hearing rumors that the U.S. is reviewing every green card issued in the past five years, you are not alone. There is a lot of confusion out there, but let us clear it up.
According to an immigration lawyer closely following the latest developments, USCIS is not doing a mass review of all green cards from the past five years. What is actually happening is more targeted. The government has paused green card processing for certain refugee and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases so they can perform deeper background checks. That is it.
So, if you already have a green card and you are not part of those paused categories, you are not in trouble. But—and this is important—if you are applying for citizenship, especially through marriage, you might be facing more scrutiny than you expected.
Why is USCIS getting stricter with marriage-based citizenship applications?
Here is the real issue that is making people nervous: naturalization interviews have gotten tougher, especially if your green card was based on a marriage.
In recent months, USCIS officers have been going back and digging into the original green card applications to verify if your marriage was—and still is—genuine. It feels like they are reviewing your case all over again, even though it is technically not a formal “review.”
One immigration attorney explained it like this:
“They’re going back to the original marriage case, verifying documents… as if they are reviewing what happened at the original green card application.”
So, while it is not an official new policy, the interview process itself has become more intense. You will need to be overly prepared to show that your marriage was real from day one.
What can cause problems with your green card or citizenship application?
Let us talk about who is most likely to run into trouble under this stricter process. Here are some key red flags that might lead to delays—or worse, denials:
- Lack of supporting documents from your original marriage-based green card case
- Inconsistencies between your past and current testimonies
- Signs of fraud in your original green card application
- Limited proof of a continuing relationship, like separate living arrangements, no joint accounts, or no children
- Applying for citizenship too soon without being properly prepared
This is not to scare you—but to help you get ready. If your case is solid, then you are probably fine. But if you were hoping to just show up and breeze through the naturalization process, you might be in for a surprise.
Should you be worried if you already have a green card?
This is the big question people keep asking: “Do I need to worry if I already have my green card?”
The short answer? Not really—unless you are applying for U.S. citizenship now.
USCIS is not going door to door revoking green cards. But if your past application had questionable information, or if your marriage-based green card was not well-documented, now is the time to get your paperwork in order before your citizenship interview.
And honestly, the best thing you can do is talk to a qualified immigration attorney before you submit your N-400 (that is the form for naturalization). As the lawyer said:
“If you apply for citizenship, just be careful, be overly prepared.”
The key is to know what USCIS is looking for before you sit down for that interview.
