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2.0

USCIS announces new photo reuse policy

  1. Original Date Announced

    December 12, 2025

    United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an update to their Policy Manual introducing new rules regarding the reuse of photographs noncitizens may submit when applying for immigration benefits. During the COVID pandemic, USCIS reduced in-person biometrics-collection appointments at Application Support Centers by, among other things, allowing requestors to reuse old photographs. In September 2024, USCIS tightened the COVID-era policy by requiring that submitted photographs be no more than 10 years old for requestors 26 years of age and older and no more than 30 months old for requestors 25 and younger.

    Under the new policy, requestors may only reuse a photograph taken by USCIS or an authorized entity at a Biometrics Services Appointment within three years of the request.

    New photographs must be submitted (i.e., photograph reuse is disallowed) for the following forms: Application for Naturalization (Form N-400), the Application for Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600), the Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Form I-90), and the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485).

    Trump 2.0 [ID #2123]

    2025.12.12 USCIS PA-2025-29 - Photograph Reuse for Identity Documents 2025.12.22 1 USCIS-PM C.2 - Biometrics Collections

Current Status

None

Original Trump Policy Status

Subject Matter: Immigrant Visas
Agencies Affected: USCIS

Pre Trump-Era Policies

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