Washington, Dec 13 (NationPress) In a bid to enhance national security and combat identity fraud, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new policy directives on Friday that impose strict limitations on the age of photographs used for immigration documentation.

According to the revised guidelines, which are effective immediately, USCIS will only permit the reuse of previously collected photographs if no more than 36 months have elapsed since the image was captured during a biometric services appointment or another authorized process at the time an applicant submits a form.

This change is applicable to all immigration benefit requests, with certain exceptions that will always necessitate a new photograph.

The updated policy also disallows self-submitted photographs. Moving forward, only images taken by USCIS or designated entities will be acceptable for secure documents. The agency emphasized that this strategy guarantees each photo is “recent, accurate, and reliable,” a criterion deemed crucial for fighting fraud and identity theft.

In a statement, USCIS underscored that comprehensive screening and vetting processes are vital for maintaining the security and integrity of the U.S. immigration framework, noting that previous flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic had surpassed their relevance.

During that time, the agency had allowed previously collected photos to minimize in-person visits to application support centers, permitting images to be reused for extended durations, even if an individual's appearance had changed considerably.

According to the policy alert, the pandemic-era approach compromised USCIS’s capability to accurately verify identities and thoroughly screen foreign nationals. At one point, the agency indicated that this practice led to the issuance of secure documents with photographs that could be as much as 22 years old by the time the document expired.

After the official cessation of COVID-19 flexibilities, USCIS had already tightened regulations in September 2024, limiting photograph reuse to a maximum of 10 years for most applicants and enforcing shorter limits for younger applicants.

The new guidelines advance this by establishing a uniform three-year standard and eliminating the need to assess photo age against a document's validity period.

USCIS stated it will retain the authority to require a fresh photograph even within the three-year timeframe if circumstances justify it, indicating that reuse is no longer guaranteed. The agency also clarified that self-submitted images will not be accepted or reused under any conditions.

Certain high-impact immigration forms will necessitate a new photograph regardless of when the applicant's last image was taken. These forms include 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. For these applications, USCIS will acquire new biometrics, including a fresh photograph.

This new photograph policy marks a broader transition towards tightening procedural safeguards as in-person services and biometric collection revert to pre-pandemic norms.