If you have an immigration application pending with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you may be wondering why your case has gone quiet. On April 27, 2026, USCIS quietly rolled out a new fingerprint-based vetting protocol that is expected to pause and delay the adjudication of a broad range of immigration benefits — including green cards, naturalization, and asylum.
What We Know So Far
USCIS has implemented what the agency is calling an “enhanced” security vetting process. Under the new protocol, USCIS officers are required to re-submit applicants’ fingerprints already on file to the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system in order to pull expanded Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) before any final decision can be issued.
The change stems from a February 6, 2026 Executive Order titled *”Protecting the National Security and Welfare of the United States and Its Citizens From Criminal Actors and Other Public Safety Threats.”* That order directed the Department of Justice to share criminal history information with USCIS “to the maximum extent permitted by law.” The April 27 rollout is the operational result of that directive.
In plain terms: even if your fingerprints have already been taken and your background check has already cleared, USCIS is now required to run those prints again through the expanded FBI database before approving your application.
Who Is Affected
The pause is expected to touch nearly every immigration benefit that requires biometrics. That includes, among others:
– Adjustment of Status (Form I-485 / green card applications);
– Naturalization (Form N-400);
– Asylum applications;
– Family-based petitions tied to biometric submission;
– Other benefit requests for which a fingerprint-based background check is part of the file.
If your fingerprints were collected and submitted to the FBI *before* April 27, 2026, your case is the type most likely to be put on hold while USCIS re-runs the new vetting process.
What You Need to Do
For the moment, the answer is: most likely nothing.
USCIS has stated that the responsibility for re-submitting fingerprints lies with USCIS officers, not the applicant. You should *not* receive a new biometrics appointment notice solely because of this change, and you do not need to refile or re-do anything just because the agency is conducting additional vetting. If you do receive a notice from USCIS — whether a Request for Evidence, a new biometrics appointment, or a Notice of Intent to Deny — respond promptly and contact your immigration attorney before taking any action.
What you *should* do:
– Continue to keep your address up to date with USCIS using Form AR-11 or your online account;
– Keep copies of all receipts, biometrics confirmations, and approval notices in a safe place;
– Avoid international travel, if possible, while your application is in limbo unless you have valid advance parole or a separate visa that authorizes re-entry; and
– Track any case status changes through your USCIS online account.
How Long Will the Delay Be?
That is the question we cannot yet answer.
USCIS has publicly stated that any delays from the re-vetting process should be “brief.” However, given the sheer volume of cases that require fingerprint-based background checks — hundreds of thousands of pending green card, naturalization, and asylum applications — it would be unrealistic to assume there will be no meaningful slowdown. Immigration practitioners across the country are anticipating processing times to lengthen, in some cases significantly, particularly for cases that were close to a final decision.
We will be monitoring USCIS communications and adjudication trends closely and will update our clients as more information becomes available.
Why This Matters
For families waiting to be reunited, for workers waiting on a green card to change jobs, and for long-term residents waiting to take the oath of citizenship, even a “brief” delay can have real consequences — on employment authorization, on travel plans, on the ability to sponsor relatives, and on peace of mind.
This is also a reminder that immigration policy in 2026 is moving quickly, and that procedural changes at USCIS — even ones that do not technically alter the law — can dramatically affect how long cases take and how they are decided.
How Diop Law Office Can Help
If you have a pending application with USCIS and you are concerned about how this new vetting process may affect your case, we are here to help. Our office can:
– Review the status of your pending case and assess whether it is likely to be paused;
– Communicate with USCIS on your behalf and respond to any notices you receive;
– Advise on travel, employment authorization renewals, and timing-sensitive decisions while your case is on hold; and
– Help you prepare and refile if your case is denied or unreasonably delayed.
If you have questions about your application, please contact Diop Law Office to schedule a consultation. The immigration landscape is shifting quickly, and you do not have to navigate it alone.
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*This blog post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every immigration case is different. For advice about your specific situation, please contact Diop Law Office to speak with an attorney.*