USCIS Can Now Deny Your Filing Without an RFE (August 5, 2026): The Immigration Firm Workflow That Makes Every First Filing Complete

On August 5, 2026, USCIS issued guidance authorizing officers to deny petitions outright when initial evidence is missing — no Request for Evidence, no Notice of Intent to Deny. Response windows can also now run shorter than 12 weeks. For immigration firms, the safety net that absorbed incomplete filings for years is gone. Here is the intake-to-filing workflow that replaces it.