USCIS Announces Temporary Signature Flexibility During COVID Crisis

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 National Emergency that the administration announced on March 13, 2020, USCIS has announced temporary signature flexibility concerning original signatures on forms and other documents. During this time, the Service will accept all benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures.

This includes the Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker (which includes petitions for H1B, L-1, O-1, TN and other non immigration status). The new USCIS policy applies to submissions dated March 21, 2020, and beyond until USCIS announces otherwise. (See USCIS signature flexibility announcement.)

USCIS already accepts various petitions, applications and other documents bearing an electronically reproduced original signature. This means that a document may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced provided that it is a copy of an original document containing an original handwritten signature, unless otherwise specified. (See Volume 1, General Policies and Procedures, Part B, Submission of Benefit Requests, Chapter 2, Signatures, 1 USCIS-PM B.2.)

For forms that require an original “wet” signature, per form instructions, USCIS will accept electronically reproduced original signatures for the duration of the National Emergency. This temporary signature flexibility applies only to signatures. Applicants must follow all other form instructions when completing a form.

Note that individuals or entities that submit documents bearing an electronically reproduced original signature must also retain copies of the original documents containing the “wet” signature. USCIS may at any time request the original documents, which if not produced, could negatively impact adjudication of any given immigration benefit.