Immigration court alert: Reports show some hearings are being moved on days’ notice, and some people are never told. Missing a hearing, even by mistake, can lead to a deportation order. Check your hearing date and location now, and do not face court without a lawyer.
An interim final rule effective July 10, 2026 (published May 11) says that if USCIS accepts a filing and later finds it lacks a valid signature, USCIS may reject or deny it, with no opportunity to replace or correct the signature, and may keep the fee when it denies. Under the USCIS Policy Manual, a valid signature is a handwritten mark by the person who must sign. A photocopy, scan or fax of the original is generally acceptable unless the form says otherwise, and online filers sign electronically through their USCIS account. Typed names, stamps, auto-pens and images pasted in from elsewhere are not accepted, and attorneys, representatives and preparers cannot sign for the person who must sign.
What this may mean: Sign each form yourself, exactly as it requires, and have an attorney review your package before you file.
Sources: Federal Register rule · USCIS Policy Manual: signatures · USCIS policy alert (July 10, 2026)
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