COVID 19 Flexibility end for responding to USCIS
USCIS’s COVID-Related Flexibilities End Today — What Changes Immediately
Effective today, treat the pandemic-era accommodations as expired. The big one—USCIS’s extra 60-day grace period to respond to RFEs, NOIDs, NOIRs, and similar notices—already sunset on March 23, 2023, and USCIS has not revived it. From now on, your response is due on the date printed in the notice (no automatic 60-day buffer).
What this means for your case, starting now
- Deadlines are hard deadlines. Calendar RFE/NOID/NOIR dates precisely; aim to file a week early to account for mailroom intake. The “received within 60 days after the due date” policy no longer applies.
- Appeals/motions timing is strict. The temporary flexibility for certain I-290B filings tied to COVID has ended; use the standard regulatory windows.
- Form I-9 COVID flex ended earlier. Remote I-9 inspection flexibilities ended July 31, 2023; employers had to complete in-person document inspection by August 30, 2023. Keep your I-9 reverifications current.
What did become permanent (so you can still rely on it)
- Reproduced (“scanned”) signatures remain acceptable on most USCIS forms; the temporary policy was made permanent in 2022. Keep originals on file in case USCIS asks.
Recent medical update (separate from flexibilities)
- USCIS waived the COVID-19 vaccination requirement on the I-693 medical effective Jan. 22, 2025. You won’t receive an RFE solely for missing a COVID shot on the medical exam. (All other vaccine rules still apply.)
Action checklist
- Re-audit all open deadlines (RFEs, NOIDs, motions) and overnight anything due soon.
- Coordinate experts early (translations, medicals, evaluations) so evidence arrives well before the due date.
- Update employer compliance: ensure I-9s reflect in-person inspection and track EAD expirations.
- Keep signature originals even if you e-filed with a scanned copy.
Need a rapid plan? We’ll triage your notices, build a same-week filing schedule, and quality-check packets to meet post-flex rules—so tight timelines don’t derail approvals.
