Reminder: USCIS COVID-19 Flexibilities Continue Through January 24, 2023

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues to extend certain COVID-19-related flexibilities through Jan. 24, 2023.

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals

Under this policy, petitioners and applicants have 60 additional calendar days after the due date to respond to USCIS requests and notices issued between March 1, 2020 and Jan. 24, 2023, including:

• Requests for Evidence
• Notices of Intent to Deny, Revoke or Rescind
• Notices of Intent to Terminate EB-5 regional centers
• Notices of Intent to Withdraw Temporary Protected Status
• Motion to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant

For USCIS decisions issued between Nov. 1, 2021, and Jan. 24, 2023, applicants will have 90 additional calendar days from the date of decision notice to file a Form I-290B appeal or motion, or Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings.

USCIS Signature Flexibility Policy

As a reminder, reproduced signature flexibility on forms and documents is now permanent USCIS policy. Under the policy, USCIS will accept all benefit forms and documents bearing an electronically reproduced signature. Note that this is different than an electronic signature. The USCIS policy requires that  the document may be scanned, faxed, photocopied or similarly produced, provided that the copy is of an original document containing an original handwritten (or “wet”) signature.   The original signed form or document bearing the wet signature should be retained, as USCIS may request the original document at any time.