India, Aug. 5 -- US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released updated policy guidance on how family-based immigrant visa petitions are evaluated. These petitions are often used by married couples seeking green cards.

"Fraudulent, frivolous, or otherwise non-meritorious family-based immigrant visa petitions erode confidence in family-based pathways to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status and undermine family unity in the United States," USCIS wrote in an August 1 press release.

The new policy was published in the USCIS Policy Manual on August 1. It is effective immediately and applies not just to pending petitions, but also to newly filed petitions.

The policy says that approval of a family-based petition does not gran...