Homeland Security Mandates Online Immigration Benefit Applications

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an interim final rule on August 11, 2026, authorizing United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to make specific immigration benefit applications mandatory online. Under the new rule, the agency can require electronic filing for any form that has been available for e-filing for at least 180 days, provided applicants receive 60 days' notice.

This mandate applies to a wide range of benefits, including asylum claims, citizenship requests, green cards, employment authorization, and Temporary Protected Status filings. The transition is designed to modernize processing and lower operational costs by reducing reliance on the U.S. Treasury Department's lockbox system. In fiscal year 2025, the agency handled approximately 453 million pages of paper submissions across 14 million requests.

While the move aims to increase efficiency and improve fraud detection, the agency established a waiver process for those unable to file electronically. Applicants can request a waiver via Form I-936 for a $25 fee. The rule took effect on August 11, with a public comment period remaining open until October 13.