On December 12, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Alert announcing new guidance governing the submission and reuse of photographs for immigration benefit requests.
For all non-immigrant requests (Example: a Form I-765/OPT application), USCIS may reuse a previously collected Biometrics Services Appointment (BSA) photograph if it is less than three years old at the time of filing your application, at the discretion of USCIS. It is possible that you may receive a notification to schedule a BSA at a USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) as part of the application process. Applicants should follow the instructions provided in the notification to schedule the BSA at the closest available ASC. The nearest USCIS ASC to UW-Madison is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We recommend that all Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applicants continue to follow the posted I-765 instructions and submit two passport-style photographs with their OPT/I-765 application until USCIS updates its instructions.
If you receive a USCIS communication regarding a photo or biometric appointment request and have questions, please contact your assigned ISS Advisor. We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as needed.