In the Nutshell
On December 22, 2025, USCIS updated its Policy Manual on petitions filed under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It noted the changes would be effective immediately and apply to all pending and future petitions. When announcing this change, USCIS explained that it was responding to filing trends, including increases in filings, higher numbers of male and parent filers, recent findings that some bad actors had committed fraud when submitting self-petitions, and the need to shore up the integrity of the immigration legal system. This Policy Alert reviews the changes USCIS highlighted and comments on their impact.