The US Department of Homeland Security has issued an interim rule on how it would reject applications if officers deem some signatures invalid. Published in the Federal Register on May 11, 2026, the rule gives USCIS broader authority to reject or deny immigration benefit requests if signature problems are identified, even after an application has been accepted for processing. The interim rule is now open to receive public comments as will come into effect from July 10. 2026.
The rule is not new, but the DHS said that previously it was applied inconsistently and applicants did not clearly understand how USCIS handles deficient signatures.
