Washington, Aug. 6 -- The United States has tightened its immigration benefit processing rules, allowing US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers to deny incomplete or insufficiently documented applications for visas, green cards and other immigration benefits without first seeking additional evidence, a move that could impact thousands of Indian applicants.

According to a USCIS press release, the agency has clarified that applicants must establish their eligibility for an immigration benefit at the time they file their request. If an applicant fails to demonstrate eligibility or does not submit all the required initial evidence, USCIS may deny the request without issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent...