'Green cards will be revoked if...': USCIS issues fresh warning over how visa holders might lose US privileges

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a public warning on Wednesday, stating that individuals holding green cards or visas could face immediate removal of their immigration privileges if found guilty of serious criminal offences, including support for terrorist activity.

In a message posted on X, USCIS shared an image that read: “Green cards and visas will be revoked if an alien breaks the law.” The agency emphasised that non-citizens are at risk of losing their permanent residency or visa status if they “advocate for violence, endorse or support terrorist activity, or encourage others to do so.”

Reinforcing the gravity of the message, USCIS reminded immigrants that their stay in the U.S. is conditional on respecting its laws and values. “Living in the country after receiving a visa or green card is a privilege,” the statement said. “Our laws and values must be respected.”

Earlier this month, USCIS changed the validity rules for Form I-693, a mandatory document that proves applicants meet health-related requirements.

As per the USCIS update, Form I-693, the “Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record,” signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023, is valid only while the application it was filed with is under review. If that application is withdrawn or denied, the I-693 becomes invalid and cannot be reused.

The rule applies immediately and affects all applications pending or submitted on or after June 11, 2025.

Under the updated guidance, if a foreign national submits Form I-693 along with Form I-485 (used to apply for lawful permanent resident status), but later withdraws or is denied, they must obtain a new I-693 if they apply again. The I-485 process allows immigrants to seek a Green Card from within the U.S., without returning to their home country.

The change marks a reversal of USCIS’s earlier policy from April 4, 2024, which had allowed an indefinitely valid I-693 form, a rule now deemed too broad and a potential threat to public health. The agency said the new restriction “ensures that foreigners get timely and proper medical examinations and treatment.”