COVID-19: USCIS announces flexibility in submitting required signatures during COVID-19 national emergency

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Original Date Announced
March 20, 2020
USCIS 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 Emergency
Biden Administration Action: Approved/Retained
July 25, 2022
USCIS 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.
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Fully in Effect

July 25, 2022 Action: Approved/Retained USCIS Extends COVID-19-related Flexibilities

July 25, 2022

Status: Final/Actual

Trump Administration Action: Change in Practice

Subject Matter: Humanitarian Immigrant Visas Non-Immigrant Visas: Employment-Based

Agencies Affected: USCIS

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Immigration Policy Tracking Project