WASHINGTON, DC (Kashmir Digital): Recent changes in immigration policy in the United States have increased the difficulties for children of foreign nationals, especially Pakistani and Indian citizens.
According to the new immigration policy, children of those seeking a green card or lawful permanent residence will be able to join their parents’ petition only if they are under the age of 21.
According to the details, if the child reaches the age of 21 during the immigration process, they will lose the right to immigrate under the parent’s petition. This means that such young people will now be forced to file their own petition separately, which may further reduce their chances of immigration.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has clarified in its policy manual that the age of children under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) will be calculated based on the ‘Final Action Dates’ chart in the State Department’s Visa Bulletin. The revised policy will apply to applications submitted on or after August 15, 2025.
Experts say the change will result in a larger number of children being separated from their parents’ green card visa cases because they will have reached the age of 21 during the immigration process.
According to the Financial Times, Nicholas Mastroianni, president of the Immigration Fund, said that the decision will affect a large number of young people who will not have the opportunity to go to the US with their parents.
In general terms, under the new policy, any unmarried person will be eligible to obtain permanent residence only if he is under the age of 21. This policy will particularly affect children of Indian and Pakistani citizens who want to move to the US with their parents through work visas or family sponsorship.
