US updates immigration photo requirements, limits images to three years

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has immediately imposed new, stricter rules limiting the acceptable age of photographs used for immigration documents to three years, a measure officials state is intended to bolster national security and prevent identity fraud.

The updated guidance, contained within the USCIS Policy Manual, stipulates that all photos submitted by foreign nationals must now have been taken within three years of the date a relevant USCIS form is filed. This represents a significant shift from previous allowances and is part of a broader push to modernise security protocols.

According to a statement from the agency, the change also means that self-submitted photos will no longer be accepted. Instead, USCIS will only use photographs taken by its own staff or other authorised entities, ensuring "every photo used in a secure document is recent, accurate, and reliable."

This policy update addresses vulnerabilities that arose when COVID-19-era flexibilities were kept in place "longer than necessary," the USCIS noted. Those temporary measures had allowed for the reuse of photos for up to 10 years, even in instances where an individual's physical appearance had "changed significantly," thereby compromising the agency’s capacity to "verify, identify, and properly screen aliens."

The move aligns with Department of Homeland Security priorities aimed at updating screening and vetting processes and resolving documented weaknesses in identity documents.

In addition to the three-year limit, certain key forms will now mandate a new photograph regardless of when an applicant’s last one was taken. These include:

The agency stated that these robust screening and vetting processes are "critical to protecting the security and integrity of the US immigration system."