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Original Date Announced
March 20, 2020USCIS announced that due to the COVID-19 national emergency, it will accept all benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures, including the Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, for submissions dated March 21, 2020, and beyond. A reproduced original signature means that a document may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced provided that the copy must be of an original document containing an original signature, unless otherwise specified. For forms that require normally require an original "wet" signature, USCIS will accept electronically reproduced original signatures for the duration of the National Emergency. Individuals/entities that submit documents bearing an electronically reproduced original signature must also retain copies of the original documents, which USCIS may request at any time. [ID #976]
USCIS Announces Flexibility in Submitting Required Signatures During COVID-19 National EmergencySubsequent Trump and Court Action
September 12, 20252025.09.12 The Real Fix for Signature-Based Denials in Immigration Petitions Lies With USCIS - National Law Review
Attorneys report an increase in USCIS denials due to a lack of a "valid signature." USCIS is reinterpreting a COVID-era rule, which allowed for "reproduced" copies of a signature, to mean only reproduced copies of documents on which a signature was originally handwritten. The agency is reportedly issuing Requests for Evidence and Notice of Intent to Deny (NOIDs) when petitioners do not handwrite the signature directly on the form and instead "affix" a handwritten signature onto a form. Moreover, in another break with longstanding policy, USCIS is reportedly not allowing petitioners to correct alleged deficiencies on their pending cases.
This is a Trump 2.0 policy. For further developments, see here.
View DocumentBiden Administration Action: Approved/Retained
July 25, 2022USCIS Extends COVID-19-related Flexibilities
This Biden administration action makes permanent the Trump-era policy identified in this entry.
Among actions to extend some Covid-19 related flexibilities, USCIS announces that it is evaluating some that should be made permanent, and has decided that, as of July 25, 2022, it will permanently accept benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures.
View DocumentCurrent Status
Fully in EffectMost Recent Action
July 25, 2022 Action: Approved/Retained USCIS Extends COVID-19-related FlexibilitiesJuly 25, 2022Acted on by Biden Administration
Original Trump Policy Status
Status: Final/ActualTrump Administration Action: Change in PracticeSubject Matter: Humanitarian Immigrant Visas Non-Immigrant Visas: Employment-BasedAgencies Affected: USCIS
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
Biden Administration Policy Documents
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Biden Administration Action
Original Source:
USCIS Extends COVID-19-related Flexibilities
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