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Original Date Announced
September 23, 2026USCIS reports that the agency will apply the regulatory definition of "day" only to deadlines that are defined by statute, regulation, or form instructions as being counted in "days." Under 2023 guidance, USCIS extended the regulatory definition of day--which extends a filing deadline to the end of the next business day if the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday--to some deadlines that are not calculated in "days," such as the requirement to file an individual's 21st birthday.
Going forward, for paper filings received on or after October 23, 2026, the regulatory definition of "day" applies only to deadlines that a statute, regulation, or form instruction sets as a number of days, such as the 33-day window to file Form I-290B. Birthday-based deadlines, like the under-21 requirement for special immigrant juvenile classification, will no longer move to the next business day. Electronic filings never get the extension because they are considered to be received immediately upon submission.
Trump 2.0 [ID #2444]
2026.09.23 USCIS Policy Alert- Definition of Day for Purposes of Filing DeadlinesEffective Date
October 23, 2026Current Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Trump Administration Action: Change in PracticeSubject Matter: Immigrant Visas Non-Immigrant VisasAgencies Affected: USCIS
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
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