U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) appears to have stopped mailing its Welcome to the United States guide along with newly issued green cards, with the agency increasingly shifting informational materials online.
Several new permanent residents recently reported on Reddit that their green cards arrived without the familiar booklet. When asked about the apparent change, USCIS said the information is readily available online through its Citizenship Resource Center.
The guide, formally titled Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants, is still available on the USCIS website. It provides new permanent residents with practical information about settling in the country, their rights and responsibilities, and the path to U.S. citizenship.
Former USCIS supervisor Douglas S. Pierce, who retired in late 2025, told Newsweek that the change appears to be part of a broader effort to reduce printing, mailing and storage expenses by making more government material available digitally.
USCIS has been steadily expanding its online services in recent years. The agency, for example, introduced organizational accounts in 2024 that allow companies and their legal representatives to collaborate electronically on H-1B registrations and associated petitions.
What Does the Welcome Guide Contain?
The guide serves as a practical handbook for people beginning life in the United States as lawful permanent residents.
It includes information on obtaining a Social Security number, finding employment and housing, accessing health care, managing finances and enrolling children in school.
It also explains the rights and responsibilities of permanent residents, including the need to obey federal, state and local laws, pay taxes, carry proof of immigration status when required, and keep USCIS informed of address changes.
The guide also provides information about avoiding immigration fraud, finding authorized legal assistance and understanding circumstances that could affect permanent resident status.
Another section introduces the naturalization process, including general eligibility requirements and information about the English and civics tests.
USCIS Moving More Services Online
The apparent end of the printed welcome packet fits into USCIS’ broader move toward electronic processing.
USCIS already offers online accounts where users can file certain immigration requests, receive notices, track cases and access immigration information electronically.
The agency has also made parts of the H-1B process increasingly digital, including electronic registration and online petition filing through organizational accounts.
For new immigrants, the practical change appears to be relatively limited: the information itself has not disappeared, but the printed booklet may no longer routinely arrive with the green card.
There is also no indication that the apparent change is connected to broader immigration-enforcement policies. The shift concerns how USCIS delivers information to people who have already been granted permanent resident status, rather than changes to green-card eligibility or approval standards.
