USCIS Will Relax "Wet Ink" Signature Requirement for Immigration Forms During COVID-19 Crisis

Due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, USCIS has announced that starting March 21, 2020, it will accept immigration forms with digitally reproduced signatures, including Form I-129, instead of insisting on originally-signed forms with “wet ink” signatures.

This means that an immigration form may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced provided that the copy must be of an original document containing an original handwritten signature.

This change will greatly streamline the ability of employers, employees and their attorneys to coordinate the filing of immigration applications, which has become very cumbersome at a time when so many people are working remotely, including the Human Resources personnel and individuals designated by employers to sign immigration forms.

Despite the fact that USCIS will temporarily accept signature copies, USCIS may, at any time, request the originally-signed forms, and an application could be negatively impacted if they are not produced. So, when submitting immigration forms with signature copies where original, “wet ink” signatures would normally be required, employers and individuals should retain copies of all originally-signed forms in case they are later requested by USCIS.

Ellis Porter believes USCIS should make the acceptance of signature copies permanent, since their continued insistence on “wet ink” signatures on immigration forms is antiquated, ineffecient and inconsistent with the realities of current business processes.

Questions?

If you have any additional questions about how this new signature guidance impacts you, please contact your Ellis Porter attorney and we will be happy to provide further clarification and assistance.