Last Minute Changes Affect Family Members Of Nonimmigrant Workers

USCIS to Publish Revised Form I-539 and New Form I-539A

This week the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced sweeping changes to the I-539 and I-539A forms and processes. Starting on March 11, 2019, USCIS will only accept a revised version of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, with an edition date of 02/04/19. USCIS advises that they will reject any Form I-539 with an edition date of 12/23/16 or earlier. The I-539 form is used by certain nonimmigrants to extend or change to another status, such as dependents of H-1B and L-1 nonimmigrant workers. Complicating the required use of the new form is that it will only be published on March 11, the same day as its implementation.