By Héctor Benítez, immigration attorney and president of Benme Legal

In a recent interview on Buenos Días América, our attorney Héctor Benítez broke down two recent USCIS changes that could impact thousands of families.

More online filings. USCIS is pushing for electronic filing of forms. Under the new rule, the agency will be able to require certain forms to be filed online once they’ve been available in that format for a set period, and it will give the public advance notice before it stops accepting paper. This doesn’t mean every form must be filed online right away: the change will roll out form by form, and there’s even a waiver process for those who face difficulties meeting the electronic filing requirement.

More DNA testing. USCIS also updated its guidance instructing officers to suggest DNA testing as an optional form of evidence when the primary documentation to prove a genetic relationship is missing, unreliable, or insufficient. Our attorney emphasizes that DNA testing remains voluntary and won’t be mandatory in every family-based case, though in practice it may be requested more often and earlier in the process.

What does this mean for you? That preparing and organizing your documents matters more today than ever. Having solid evidence from the start and understanding these new dynamics can save you time, surprises, and complications.

Interview: https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8UsYNR9e1/