H-1B, Green Card applicants be careful! USCIS issues new rule under which applications can be rejected if…

The US Department of Homeland Security has tightened the rules for immigration applications. This is set to affect hundreds of H-1B visa applicants, green card seekers and employers sponsoring foreign workers.

Written by: Hritika Mitra Edited by: Hritika Mitra

Published: May 17, 2026, 8:17 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/world/us-visa-rules-h-1b-green-card-applicants-uscis-issues-new-rule-applications-can-be-rejected-due-to-invalid-signatures-details-dhs-immigration-8417852/ Copy

Stricter steps will be taken in the application form filling process. File Image

Are you an H-1B or Green Card applicant? The chances of your application getting accepted just got slimmer. New rules have been issued by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which tightens how the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will handle the form filling for H-1B visa applicants, green card seekers and employers sponsoring foreign workers.

Under the new rule, The United States Department of Homeland Security has granted broader authority to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, allowing the agency to deny immigration filings if signatures are deemed invalid at a later stage, despite the applications initially being accepted.

When will the new rule come into effect?

The new rule that the DHS may reject the application on the basis of invalid signatures will come into effect from the July 10. Applicants could potentially lose thousands of dollars in filing costs while also jeopardising immigration benefits tied to the application.

Also Read: 3-year ban on H-1B visas likely to be implemented by Trump administration; Indians will be most affected

What are the changes?

The updated rules allow US Citizenship and Immigration Services to refuse petitions lacking valid signatures during intake and deny applications if signature problems are identified at a later stage of adjudication.

If this were not all, the agency will be allowed to retain filing fees after rejecting a case and regard the application as fully processed, according to the updated policy.

Signatures to be an issue

The agency warned that some commonly used formats could be an issue for validity. These include

• Copy-and-paste signatures
• Digitally generated signatures
• Signature stamps
• Reused signature images
• Signatures submitted by unauthorised individuals

Signatures that will not be an issue

The rule was brought in as authorities noticed a rise in dubious and potentially fraudulent signatures appearing on immigration forms, the United States Department of Homeland Security said.

Also Read: H-1B registrations may decline 30-50% in FY27. What are the changes, how will this impact Indians?

According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, handwritten signatures are still required in most situations, though scanned versions of wet-ink signatures, fax copies and photocopies are usually accepted.