US Updates Green Card Eligibility Rules and Explains What Officers Can Consider

• The Trump administration formally scrapped a Biden-era 2022 public charge regulation governing Green Card eligibility assessments
• USCIS officers will now evaluate each applicant's circumstances individually rather than applying a fixed standard under the rescinded rule
• A revised Form I-485 becomes mandatory from September 18, 2026, with older versions rejected from that date

The United States Department of Homeland Security has formally eliminated a Biden-era immigration regulation that governed how officials determined whether Green Card applicants were likely to become financially dependent on government support.

On 16 July 2026, the DHS announced a final rule rescinding the 2022 public charge regulation, restoring a more discretionary approach to permanent residence assessments across the country.

What the public charge rule change means

The public charge test is a longstanding element of US immigration law that permits authorities to deny lawful permanent residence to individuals deemed likely to rely primarily on government assistance.

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Under the 2022 framework introduced during the Biden administration, officers applied a structured standard when making those determinations.

The rescission removes that fixed framework. US Citizenship and Immigration Services officers will now assess each application on its own merits, weighing all relevant facts surrounding an individual's personal and financial circumstances before reaching a decision.

USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler stated: "The Trump administration is upholding the rule of law and protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing aliens who may become dependent on public benefits."

Revised Form I-485 required from September

The regulatory change carries direct practical consequences for those currently seeking a Green Card. Anyone filing Form I-485, the application used to register permanent residence or adjust immigration status, must submit the updated version of the form from 18 September 2026 onwards.

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USCIS will not accept older versions of the form postmarked or submitted on or after that date. Applicants who began the process using a previous version of the form are required to transition to the revised document before the September deadline to avoid having their submissions rejected outright.

The shift represents a significant departure from the approach established under the previous administration, moving decision-making authority away from a uniform standard and towards a broader, officer-led evaluation of individual applicants' circumstances.

US announces cash rewards for people who report fraud

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the United States had launched a new whistleblower rewards scheme that pays tipsters before a criminal case reaches its final resolution.

The Department of Justice explained that the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Programme, known as WHIP, was announced jointly by the Justice Department and its National Fraud Enforcement Division.

Source: YEN.com.gh