USCIS Alters Green Card Age Rule for Children

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement a new policy on August 15, 2025, changing the way children's ages are calculated under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) for green card eligibility. The new rule will use the stricter 'Final Action Dates' chart instead of the 'Dates for Filing' chart, reducing protection for children from 'aging out' when they turn 21. This policy shift, now aligned with Department of State procedures, is expected to disproportionately impact Indian families facing long green card backlogs and could affect up to 200,000 children and young adults. The policy reverses a more flexible Biden-era approach and may force many children, who have spent most of their lives in the US, to leave once they age out. Immigration experts warn the change could separate families and disrupt the lives of many aspiring permanent residents. Applications filed before August 15, 2025, will remain under the previous rules.