Trump administration announces immediate changes to green card policy

DALLAS, 13 (DNA): The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it is introducing immediate changes to the green card application process.

Immigration officials explained that a policy introduced in April last year which allowed the medical examination form to remain valid indefinitely could now pose a risk to public health, prompting this new decision.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated that every new application for permanent residency (green card) must now be accompanied by a newly completed medical examination form (Form I-693).

Previously, once the form was submitted, it could be reused for years, especially in cases where an applicant had withdrawn and refiled an application.

Under this new policy, if an applicant withdraws a previously filed application or applies for a different immigration benefit, their previously submitted Form I-693 will be invalidated, and they will be required to undergo a new medical exam and submit a new form.

This decision has been in effect since June 11, 2025, while the new version of the form will be implemented starting July 3, 2025.

This change will impact all immigrants currently applying for an “Adjustment of Status” those applying for a green card from within the United States. Thousands of individuals from South Asian countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are among those affected, many of whom are applying through family sponsorship, employment, student visas, or asylum processes.

In many cases, applicants will now face an additional cost of $100 to $500, and many will be forced to repeat these expenses due to the policy change. As a result, delays in processing are expected, and many Pakistani and Indian immigrants who believed their applications were complete will now have to undergo medical exams again and resubmit updated forms.

This has also introduced legal complications, particularly for those who had already submitted valid medical forms. If their previous applications are withdrawn, those forms can no longer be reused under the new rules, and even unexpired I-693 forms will be deemed invalid if tied to a withdrawn case.

Immigration attorneys argue that this is not a minor change, noting that USCIS usually allows some buffer time before implementing such updates. The sudden enforcement is likely to affect thousands of applicants whose submissions are already in progress.

Moreover, even if the previously submitted medical form is technically valid, it cannot be reused if the associated application was withdrawn.

In light of the Trump administration’s increasingly strict stance on immigration, several green card holders are also being detained or denied reentry into the US.

The administration has accused some of these individuals of taking actions against US foreign policy and has attempted to deport them. The new policy is now in force as of June 11, 2025, and the updated Form I-693 will take effect on July 3, 2025.

USCIS claims that this will help protect public health by ensuring timely and accurate medical assessments.

Although this shift may appear to be a technical correction, it has significant consequences for South Asian immigrants, especially Pakistanis including increased costs, added complexities in the process, and tighter restrictions overall.

This move illustrates a growing trend under the Trump administration: immigration policies are becoming increasingly rigid, inflexible, and bureaucratically complex. These changes pose a particular challenge to individuals who were following the legal process properly but are now being forced to restart critical parts of it.