On April 27, 2026, USCIS launched an upgraded fingerprint-based FBI security check system. Cases that went through FBI fingerprint checks before that date are being held for re-vetting under the new system before USCIS will issue a final decision.
You do not need to do anything. USCIS is handling the re-vetting internally using fingerprint data already on file. No new biometrics appointment is required, and no additional documentation is being requested from applicants.
However, the concern is timing. USCIS has described the delays as brief but has given no specific timeline. For applicants with a pending I-485, the issue is not the re-vetting but what expires while waiting for it to clear. EADs, advance parole documents, and underlying nonimmigrant status all need to be monitored carefully. A delayed final decision can push those expiration dates into problematic territory.
Employers should flag anyone with documents expiring in the next 60 to 90 days and evaluate whether any protective filings make sense.
Affected case types include I-485 adjustment of status applications, N-400 naturalization applications, asylum applications, and any other pending benefit applications for which fingerprints were submitted to the FBI before April 27, 2026.
A separate issue for travel ban nationals. This re-vetting hold is independent of the adjudication hold USCIS put in place in January 2026 for nationals of travel ban-designated countries. If both apply to you, the delays will compound.
On travel: Do not leave the United States with a pending I-485 unless you have a valid advance parole document in hand. Departure without one is treated as abandonment of the application, regardless of why adjudication was delayed.
On EADs: If a renewal application was filed on time, check whether auto-extension applies to your category and document the basis for continued work authorization.
Vanguard Visa Law is tracking this issue and will send updates as USCIS provides more information. If you have questions about your specific case, contact our office.
