U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Friday issued new policy guidance clarifying signature requirements for immigration benefit requests, saying filings without a valid signature can be rejected or denied even after they are accepted for adjudication.
The policy alert, effective immediately, says the guidance applies to requests filed on or after July 10, 2026. USCIS said the update is intended to improve processing, reduce fraud, and strengthen benefit integrity.
Under the new rules, USCIS will accept electronic signatures only when they are captured through a USCIS online account during online filing and permitted by regulations or form instructions. The agency said original signatures remain valid when requests are photocopied, scanned, or faxed.
USCIS said an image of a handwritten signature that is later attached to a filing is not valid. The agency also noted it may request documents containing the original signature at any time when a reproduced signature is submitted.
The policy update revises the USCIS Policy Manual’s guidance on signatures and related filing instructions.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
