DHS Issues Interim Final Rule On Signature Requirements For USCIS Filings, Effective July 10, 2026

On May 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) titled “Signatures on Immigration Benefit Requests.” The rule takes effect July 10, 2026 and applies to immigration petitions and applications submitted to USCIS on or after that date. DHS is accepting public comments through July 10, 2026.

Although the rule largely reflects existing USCIS policy, it formalizes signature requirements in regulation and significantly heightens the consequences of noncompliance.

Summary of the Rule

The rule clarifies and codifies USCIS’s authority to enforce signature requirements for immigration benefit requests. Under the rule, USCIS may reject or deny a filing that lacks a valid signature, even after it has been accepted, and may retain the filing fee. A valid signature must be a handwritten (“wet ink”) signature. USCIS will continue to accept scanned, photocopied, or faxed copies of forms